


Vanity is my favourite sin

by Eden_Ashley_Chr



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2019-10-05 11:02:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 56,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17323799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eden_Ashley_Chr/pseuds/Eden_Ashley_Chr
Summary: The story follows the plot in Emmerdale, starting with our two faves getting locked in the cellar and following on from there...The majority of the on screen vanity is included, together with a lot of missing scenes that we’ve all no doubt imagined!





	1. New Beginnings

I own nothing

New Beginnings

Everyone is smashed. Charity isn’t surprised, it’s understandable. Finn was well liked in the village, and young enough that the majority of the extreme mourners are also young, and obviously partial to a party. Resulting in the currently level of drunkenness in her pub. 

Vanessa Woodfield is an interesting one, she and Charity are basically the same age, but have never really crossed paths in the village as yet. Charity can appreciate that she’s looking good tonight, that dress is certainly accentuating all the right things in all the right places. Charity can also appreciate just how smashed she is right now. For one she’s making drunken eyes at Daz. Yeah, Vanessa is a bit stuck up, comes across a bit full of herself, but she can do a lot better than Daz.

Charity keeps a close eye on her as she continues to fawn over Daz, and stumbles over to her Dad, Frank and Megan “Is it just me or is Daz quite a looker?”

Charity rolls her eyes, she is definitely wearing her beer goggles, Charity swallows the question bubbling up in her throat; ‘why on earth does she care if Vanessa bloody Woodfield want to get her rocks off with Daz Spencer?’

Daz, is obviously delighted by the attention, and seems to be the only one in agreement with Vanessa’s assessment. “Definitely a looker” he states smugly.

Vanessa isn’t 100% sure what she’s doing, other than the village has just seen more death in the last few days than it should have, and in all honesty, she’s lonely. Unbelievably lonely. What’s the real harm in having a bit of fun with Daz? “Hmmm, I’m not sure. But we have just buried my sisters’ best mate, so I am going to let you take me out on a date”

Daz seems to appreciate the sentiment in which Vanessa is coming onto him with. “Ah in the spirit of only living once hey?”

Vanessa is glad that they seem to be on the same page. “Exactly. Come on, let’s go.”

Daz doesn’t want to take advantage of the decidedly drunk woman “No. Nah, I might take you up on it though, when you’re a little less impaired.” 

Charity smirks, she’s slightly impressed that Daz has it in him not to take advantage of a highly inebriated vulnerable woman, Charity ignores the fact that she also feels a little glad, that Daz has just knocked Vanessa back. 

Vanessa is embarrassed for about a millisecond, luckily, she’s drunk enough to not feel as mortified as she probably should. She turns her attention back to her Dad and Megan.

“You two are sitting together.” Her pitch gets rather excited as she hopes a reconciliation might be on the cards.

Megan, tries to dampen her spirits a little. “Ah, near each other.”

It doesn’t work, Vanessa continues. “Like you don’t hate each other”.

Megan smiles, she can’t help it. “We don’t.”

Frank smugly agrees. “No. We definitely don’t.”

Megan glares at Charity. “We do have regrets though.” 

Frank joins her. “Desperate ones.”

Charity, who to be fair had been minding her own business up until this point, and there really was no need whatsoever for Frank and Megan to attack her like they just did, she was of course the single party in the whole Frank debacle. She decides that their unprovoked attack deserves the dose of Charity charm they’re about to get. “Yeah, desperate being the word if you two are about to are about to hook up again, for sure. However, saying that, you could don your masks and just pretend that you’re not actually you.” She laughs for extra effect.

Vanessa sees red, as far as she’s concerned, Charity is a vindictive horror who got her claws into her Dad and ruined his relationship. “Hey, stick your nasty beak, back in its beaky box.” Charity’s face drops a little, clearly Vanessa is firmly in the gang that she can do no right.

She changes her face as quickly as it dropped, the mask back in position within a second. “And what’s going to happen if I don’t Vanessa?”

Luckily Leyla stumbles through the door just in time to divert the conversation. “I’ve sorted things with Priya.”

Charity’s on a roll now, she can’t help but continue. “Wow, hey it must be the wake, nothing like a little death to forget infidelity.”

Leyla continues to explain exactly what she’s taking about. “No, I’ve not forgiven her, I’ve dumped her ant I, as my mate obviously, but, also as our chocolate supplier. Yes.” She points at Megan. “I’m free. No more contract with Miss Witchy face.”

Megan panics immediately. “Except next week’s order, right?”

Leyla, seemingly not realising the gravity of her statement. “Nyeah. Nah, I pulled that an all. Stop stressing.”

Megan has moved on from panicked to downright angry. “Yeah I will when you find someone else who’s going to whip up 250 personalised beads.”

Charity once again can’t miss the golden opportunity that has been presented to her “Oi Frank, is that what does it for you? The sweaty brow look, the worry lines?”

Vanessa jumps to the defence of her Dad and his girlfriend “Er Megan is a million lines better than you.”

Charity laughs. “A million lines, there you said it, yeah.”

Vanessa berates herself for getting her words mixed up in her drunken state. “Times, a million times.” She corrects herself.

Charity nods and smiles “Uh uh. Anyway, speaking of scraping the bottom of the barrel.” She gestures towards the cellar, and then walks out the back.

Vanessa is furious. “We’re not.” Vanessa puts her drink down to follow.

Megan warns her. “Leave it. She’s just sad, pathetic and desperate for a rise, don’t give her the satisfaction.”

Vanessa takes no notice and follows Charity into the cellar despite Megan’s further protests. Vanessa is in a blind rage, ready to tell Charity just what she thinks of her, as she’s about to head down there’s a stool in her way, propping open the cellar door, she swiftly chucks it out of the way, nothing is going to stop her from getting to Charity. She barely notices as the cellar door closes behind her as she heads down the steps.

Charity clocks her straight away, she’s not really in the mood for another argument with one of Frank’s gang. “Oh hey. Super sloshed girl, brilliant.”

Vanessa jumps right into what she wants to say to Charity. No point in beating around the bush. “You ruined my Dad and Megan and they’re starting to get together again but you are still, you’re still tryin’ to mess it all up. Why? Is it ‘cos no one can stand you? ‘Cos you’ve got no friends? No life of your own? You, you are a pathalog…”

Charity doesn’t appreciate the sentiment that she ruined Frank’s relationship, everyone in this village appears to have forgotten that it takes two to tango but she takes pity on the drunken women who is struggling with her pronunciation “Pathological.”

“Yes, a Pathologogical interferer.” Charity nods, the pronunciation attempt is slightly better this time. “And I will let you out, once …”

Charity cuts her off knowing full well that she heard the cellar door close behind the feisty blonde. “I don’t think you will.”

Vanessa, not really understanding Charity’s disagreement. “No, I will. I will let you out once you have apologised for everything. Then I’ll let you out” she finishes off rather drunkenly.

Charity tries to explain in a way that she hopes even an intoxicated Vanessa can understand. “Really, well you can’t, because the locks broken, you can only open from the other side. So well done you. Super screw up girl strikes again.”

Vanessa heads to the top of the stairs, she is horrified when she tries the door and it doesn’t budge. She can’t help herself, she starts banging and screaming; “Help”. 

Much to Charity’s dismay. “No, No, No.” she can feel a headache coming on.

Vanessa gives up trying to get someone’s attention at the door, she’s started to sober up a bit, at the prospect of being stuck down here, meaning that her brain cells are starting to work again, she decides to try what she thinks is a more sensible way of garnering someone’s attention, her phone. “Oh, no signal, stupid cellar. Well someone will see we’re missing”

Charity knows for a fact that they won’t be missed, so she’s decided to make the most of it, she’s looking over a few bottles of whisky, the perks of being a pub owner. “Not me they won’t. ‘Cos Noah’s deep in video game trance, and er Victoria is used to closing. So, I won’t be missed.”

Vanessa can’t help the next barb that falls from her lips. “Um, understatement much?”

Charity is exasperated. “Not like anyone’s gonna come looking for you either.” Vanessa is really starting to grate on her now, coming down here to tell her off for being mean and then being nothing but mean herself.

“Er my sister.” Obviously.

“Just lost her best mate sister? Don’t think you’re quite on her radar right now.” 

Vanessa knows she’s right. “Right well, my Dad then.”

Charity starts to laugh as she takes a swig from the whiskey bottle. “No babe, I don’t think your Dad’s really going to be thinking about you now Megan’s got him back in her clutches. No basically, I’m stuck with you, aren’t I?”

She knows that Charity’s right, but she’s damned if she’s going to let her have the last word, even if her retort is slightly pathetic. “No basically, I’m stuck with you”.

“Oh, yadda, yadda, yadda. Urgh. Here why don’t you have a swig of this, ‘cos the sooner you pass out, the better.” She holds out the newly opened bottle of whisky to the smaller woman.

Vanessa is too busy being annoyed initially to take the bottle. “Ooooohh. Always having a go.”

“Well I’m pathological remember?” Charity fires back.

Well now Vanessa, having sobered up a bit, does feel bad about being so horrible, even if it was to Charity. “Yeah I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Oh hey, I’ve heard from people I care about a lot more than you. So, drink, don’t drink I don’t care. You and me are unfortunately stuck with each other for the foreseeable aren’t we.” Although she tries her best to portray it, she’s not actually that upset at the prospect of spending some time with Vanessa, at the very least it will stop the vet making a massive error with Daz.

Vanessa accepts defeat and takes the bottle of whiskey from Charity and has a swig. She slumps down onto a random couch in the cellar as Charity speaks, from where she perched herself on a barrel behind the couch. “Daz. Urgh. Not hot. Definitely not hot.”

Charity isn’t 100% sure why she’s bringing up Daz, other than she’s had a fair bit of whiskey, and she really doesn’t like the thought of Vanessa going home with him, in the unlikely event that they do get out of here tonight.

Vanessa isn’t really sure why she’s trying to explain herself to Charity of all people, but she finds herself wanting to. “I was just wanting to, you know.”

“What? Throw caution to the wind, seize the day, live life to the full, all that impulsive rubbish.” Charity passes the bottle back to Vanessa and takes a seat directly behind her as she does. “I mean do it by all means, but maybe don’t do it with him, ‘cos I think you could do better.”

“You’re being nice. You’re never nice unless you want something. Ah sorry, now I’m being just as mean as you, aren’t I? And I really, really, don’t want to be like you. Oh sorry, can’t help myself”

Charity can’t understand why Vanessa’s words seem to hurt her, she shouldn’t care what this stuck up goody two shoes thinks of her, but she does. It must definitely be the whiskey. She sighs. “Welcome to my world.”

“Is that what it is? You just can’t help sticking the knife in?” Vanessa finds herself really interested in trying to find out what motivates the callous barmaid, what makes her tick.  
Again, Charity just feels a little defeated, at the thought that Vanessa thinks so little of her. “Something like that yeah.”

“But I’ve locked you in here, and you haven’t yelled once. I mean if ever you could stick the knife in.” Vanessa knows, Charity could have spent this time really tormenting her about her Dad, amongst other things, but instead she’s been, well nice actually. Tried to make her feel as comfortable as possible.

“You’re too easy, I like a challenge.”

Well that’s one way of explaining it. Vanessa is slightly put out that Charity sees her as so vanilla. “Is that your idea of fun? Winding people up? Are you really that bored and lonely?”

Charity is starting to think that Vanessa is quite cute when she’s trying to be all mean. She rises as she speaks and moves closer to Vanessa as she does. “Hey. Do you know something, you are really good at being mean.”

“Aw, I’m sor…”

“No, save it please. This is like death by a thousand apologies, this. Okay yeah. I am so bored, and lonely; I go to town on people. Because I can. Even people I like.” Charity surprises herself again by being honest with Vanessa.

“So, you can like people?” Vanessa bites back.

“Not many. Some. Yeah, I especially enjoy toying with them”

“Like the little boy, who pulled the little girls pigtails, wanting her to notice him.”

Charity laughs and slides down next to Vanessa from where she had been perched on the arm of the couch. Vanessa is looking hot, and Charity wouldn’t be amiss to trying out another activity to try and make the time pass a bit faster. Her heart does start to beat a bit faster, because let’s face it, Vanessa has made it abundantly clear that she doesn’t like Charity, so this is a bit of a risk.

“If I want someone to notice me.” She pulls on the bright yellow mask resting on the top of Vanessa’s head and lets it snap back into place over her eyes. “They notice me.”

Charity wants to kiss her, and when she grabs Vanessa’s chin to lift her lips closer to her own, the blonde vet doesn’t exactly pull away, so Charity leans forward and brings their lips together. To say Vanessa is shocked is an understatement when Charity’s lips touch hers, she marvels at the softness, and she feels herself returning the chaste kiss, and then the lips have gone.

Charity is still holding her face, and they are currently staring each other out. Vanessa swallows, her mouth feels a lot dryer than it did a few seconds ago, she dreads to think about the expression on her face, she’s kinda glad Charity pulled the mask back down over her face. Charity it seems is having no such issues, she just looks completely smug, and rather than finding it completely overbearing, Vanessa finds it highly attractive.

She weighs up the pro’s and con’s in her head, but at the end of the day none of it matters she really, really wants to kiss Charity again. She can deal with the consequences in the morning, she grabs the back of Charity’s head, and brings their lips together a bit more forcefully, Charity kisses her back immediately and she can feel the smile on her lips.

Charity losses her hands in Vanessa’s hair as she pulls her closer, trying to taste as much of her as possible, Vanessa melts into the taller woman’s body, and its not long before the kiss becomes a lot more passionate, and Charity’s tongue is inside her mouth.

Charity is basically on top of her now, and Vanessa isn’t sure how she feels about her taking all of the control, so she repositions them, without breaking the kiss, she places a leg either side of the barmaid, so she is essentially straddling her in a seated position. Charity is grossly turned on by Vanessa’s show of control, perhaps she’s not as meek as first thought?

Charity’s hands immediately find Vanessa’s hips. She is such a good kisser. She feels so good, Charity can’t help but think about the bare flesh underneath this dress, but that is most definitely for another time. Both of them are far too drunk to consent to anything other than this little kissing session they’ve got going on at the moment.

Neither of them is sure how long they stayed like that, wrapped up in each other, it felt like hours, it probably was. Stopping, only because their lips were so bruised, and tiredness overtook their bodies. They ended up falling into a peaceful slumber still wrapped up in each other, Charity managed to locate a blanket from somewhere and pulled it over the two of them. It felt good for both of them, this little cocoon in the cellar, just the two of them.

Vanessa’s last thought before she drifts off into a peaceful sleep, is that she isn’t sure how her evening went from trying to unsuccessfully seduce Daz, to snogging Charity Dingle in the cellar of the Woolpack, but in this moment, she’s really glad it did.

XXXXXXXXXX

Vanessa wakes up in the cellar completely covered in the random blanket that Charity had found for them the night before, she’s squeezed onto the small couch with Charity who is lightly snoring. Vanessa it seems has been spooning Charity from behind, through the haze of her hangover she is mortified.

She can hear Marlon and Vic chatting up in the pub, that has to be her escape. Surely, they will need to unlock the cellar at some point. Vanessa slowly extracts herself from the couch and Charity, being extremely careful not to wake the still slumbering woman. She grabs her bag once she has freed herself from the couch and makes her way upstairs trying not to wake Charity who is unbelievably still asleep. 

Vanessa makes it to the top of the stairs, just as Vic unlatches the lock on the cellar door. Vanessa braces herself for Vic to fling the door open, her brain is going ten to the dozen to try and think up a suitable excuse for being in the cellar, which doesn’t include ‘I’ve spent the evening with my tongue down your bosses throat’. The God’s must be on her side though, as Vic is called back by Marlon, and the door never opens. Small mercies. 

She’s on the home straight, she just has to make it through the bar and out of the front door. She heads for the bar at top speed, and nearly steamrollers over Paddy as he appears from nowhere, she can actually feel the Oxygen leaving her lungs. Well and truly busted.

Paddy is little surprised to see his work mate. “Hello” He’s even more surprised when Charity appears at Vanessa’s side from nowhere, this takes Vanessa aback slightly too, she was sure Charity was still snoring as she made her escape from the cellar.

Charity decides to break the silence, clearly everyone is a bit confused. “Yo Padster. You come to join the Partay?”

“No, I was after Marlon actually. ‘Cos I’ve lost my door key. Well when I say I’ve lost my door key. Yeah, no that’s what I mean. I’ve lost me door key.” He directs his attention to his work colleague. “I thought you were meant to be worming? Why are you wearing a cape?”

Vanessa is clearly still in a state of shock, so Charity tries her best to help her out. “It’s a worming cape.”

This seems to spur Vanessa into action in the form of an awkward laugh and an attempted explanation for what she’s actually doing at the pub at this time in the morning, still wearing her clothes from last night. “She’s being daft. No, I erm, I just called by to tell Charity that we’ve all decided to wear capes again today in erm, in memory of Finn.”

It’s obvious that Paddy hasn’t bought it. “That’s very touching.”

Vanessa needs to escape. “Good, okay, right, well. I’ll erm, I’ll see you at work then. Bye”

Charity has to admit she has enjoyed watching Vanessa squirm. “Bye.”

“Bye.” Vanessa reluctantly returns Charity’s farewell before hightailing it out of the pub.

Paddy watches her leave and then glances back at Charity confused, she just shrugs it off and leaves, she really needs a shower, and a nap.

XXXXXXXXXX

Paddy still overly perplexed by his little encounter at the Woolpack this morning, is currently in Rhona’s kitchen, with his other work colleague, who is currently trying to get him to treat a particularly vicious feline. He hears the front door opening and Vanessa strides through, she’s obviously changed since earlier and is looking a bit worse for wear.

“Only me.”

Rhona, getting nowhere with Paddy, decides to see if she can get Vanessa to take over with the feisty cat. “The cavalry. Please, would you give Trixie her antibiotics? I will give you a whole twenty pounds.” She gestures the shape of a twenty-pound note as she speaks.

Vanessa can’t, thanks to last night / this morning’s antics, she is running massively behind schedule. “Sorry but I’ve not wormed Thompson’s herd yet. Erm how was Johnny this morning?”

Rhona looks her best friend up and down, and takes in her appearance, she looks grey. “Yeah, he was great, he had a pyjama fight with Leo and he still managed to look a whole lot better than you do. I hope you behaved yourself last night, young lady.”

Vanessa’s stomach drops, surely Paddy hasn’t blabbed. She hasn’t even had a chance to properly process what happened herself yet. She keeps getting stuck in the knowledge that Charity has had sex with her Dad, and it turns her stomach; she hasn’t even tried to think about the fact that Charity’s a woman, and she enjoyed kissing her, a lot. “What have you told her?”

Paddy can see Vanessa is struggling with something. “About what?”

“About me being at the pub.” She states as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

He lets her know, that he knows this morning was dodgy. “I haven’t even mentioned the worming cape. I haven’t mentioned anything about anything. Should I have?”

“No.”

Paddy needs to know more, so he presses Vanessa a little bit. “Sorry. Apologies if I’m conclusion jumping but, was there not like a weird vibe between you and Charity?”

“Probably” Vanessa concedes.

“Why? She’s not got you into anything dodgy, has she?”

“No.”

“Please don’t tell me your dirty Dad’s been at her again?” This seems to be the most logical explanation for Vanessa’s current mood.

“Not him, no.” Vanessa freezes.

Paddy laughs, he knows what he’s about to say is ridiculous. “Well not you.” When Vanessa doesn’t speak, the penny drops for Paddy.

“You and Charity. Urgh.” Paddy feigns being sick, and holds his chest.

“Oh, pack it in Paddy, it was just a fumble.” Vanessa tries to make light of what happened, even though in reality she knows what happened was significant.

“Oooohhhh” Paddy reacts to the word ‘fumble’ he actually feels a bit of bile rising this time. 

“End of.” Vanessa states with finality. 

Both of their attention is taken when Trixie makes a racket in the Surgery; Paddy wants to escape so he moves towards the entrance to the vets to help Rhona, Vanessa stops him in his tracks. “Shut, right.”

Vanessa goes to help Rhona instead she can’t risk him blabbing to her best friend.

XXXXXXXXXX

Paddy realises that he probably didn’t react very favourably with Vanessa earlier, he gets that regardless of it being Charity, urgh. The fact that Vanessa has obviously had some sort of sexual encounter with a woman, any woman, is probably a huge deal for his friend, and he should have been a lot more supportive. With that in mind he heads over to the diminutive blonde’s house armed with a bacon butty as a peace offering.

Vanessa sees him coming and opens her front door to let him in. “Come in Paddy.”

“I’m sorry I…” he starts his apology straight away.

Vanessa cuts him of as he follows her into the living room. “Recoiled in horror?”

“You and Charity…?”

“What, a drunken ill-advised fumble?”

“I was gonna say an item. Which is insane obviously.” The look on Vanessa’s face confirms that she agrees.

“Which I am.” She berates herself.

“No.” Paddy tries to be supportive, that is of course why he is here.

Vanessa is having none of it, she’s had a chance to think about it since earlier, and she cannot believe she let herself get involved with Charity. “Woah, you said it yourself. Urgh. And you’re right. I mean Charity. The conniving, swindling, bed hopping, Woman!”

“Well, you know the woman, bit. That’s her best quality.” Paddy wants Vanessa to know that he doesn’t care about her sexuality.

Vanessa sighs, she may as well let Paddy know what actually happened. “We got locked in the cellar, and we drank; a lot. And er, and then we kissed, but that’s all.”

“Normal day then.” He makes light of it, because it really isn’t a big deal.

“Unless she decides otherwise. Oh, Paddy I am such an idiot. I mean look how she tormented my Dad.” This has been Vanessa’s main worry, although she knows Charity has given her no reason to think that she might have fun with the information, she knows the woman’s track record, not just with her Dad, and she is absolutely terrified that her Dad will find out, and that Charity will take great pleasure in telling him.

“Well then she needs to know. You don’t mess with the Ness.” Vanessa smiles, she knows she needs to talk to Charity. She’s glad she has a friend like Paddy to talk it out with.

XXXXXXXXXX

Vanessa decides there’s no time like the present, so she heads to the Woolpack to speak to Charity straight away. She finds the stunning barmaid, leaning over the bar doing a cross word. 

“Can I have a word?”

Of course, Charity has seen her, but she doesn’t acknowledge her, other than to put her hand up to gesture her to stop talking, her cross word is obviously far more important. “Shhhhhsssh. 4 down, 6 letters. To awaken?”

Priya is sitting at the main bar with Jai, and pipes in to answer the clue. “Arouse?”

“Providing it’s your best mate’s fella, yeah?” Charity it seems simply can’t hold her tongue, it doesn’t fill Vanessa with confidence.

Jai attempts to stick up for his sister. “Oi, watch wat you’re saying.”

Priya knows that Charity isn’t worth it. “Leave it Jai.”

Charity turns her attention back to her crossword. “A R O U S E, yes, arouse. Sorry what were you saying?”

“Maybe in private yeah?” Vanessa really doesn’t want t have this discussion across the bar, with half the village in attendance. 

Charity smiles, she can’t help but toy with Vanessa a little bit, let her know who’s in control, she hates to admit it, but last night when Vanessa was kissing her, she felt anything but in control, she needs to wrestle a little back from the shorter woman. “Sounds exciting? Although you might have to hold that thought ‘cos I’m flying solo as you know I only have one pair of hands. Frankie baby, do you want a top up?”

Frank shakes his head, no. Vanessa hates that Charity can use her Dad like that to make her feel even worse than she already does. She can’t do anything other than wait for Charity to give her the time of day, so she orders a soft drink, and nurses it at the bar until Charity decides she’s ready for her. She is given a pleasant break from brooding when Moira arrives with Isaac and she has a chance to fuss over the new born.

Charity eventually gestures to Vanessa to follow her through to the back, once reinforcements arrive to relieve her of bar duties. Charity knows that Vanessa is here because she’s bricking it about what happened last night, but Charity hasn’t been able to get the thought of her lips out of her mind all day, and if at all possible, she plans to turn Vanessa’s moaning, into a different kind of moaning. 

Vanessa starts before they’ve even made it to the back room. “Right, about last night.”

“Hey listen it’s fine, Whisky’s on the house yeah.” Charity winks. She knows that’s enough to get Vanessa to follow her into her front room.

As they enter the living quarters, Vanessa tries to explain that she isn’t talking about the whisky. “I meant the, y’know.”

Of course, Charity knows what Vanessa was talking about, but now she has the beautiful woman in her front room, about to take a seat. “Oh yes. Our little tongue twister. You’re quite the seductress you, aren’t you?”

Vanessa is appalled as she takes a seat on the couch. “No, it was a massive monumental, ridiculous mistake, and it won’t be happening again.”

Charity expected that to be Vanessa’s stance on matters. “Woah, buttercup, chill your boots. Hey, you’re a way better snog than your Dad.” Charity laughs.

It makes Vanessa’s heart sink. “So, are you gonna use this against me like you did him?”

“Well, there’s nothing to use unfortunately.” Charity really has no intentions of toying with Vanessa.

She moves to join Vanessa on the couch, all the while the vet is eyeing her suspiciously. It’s time to put her plan into action to try and get the gorgeous blond into bed. “You know the best thing for a hangover cure?”

“No.” Vanessa is mesmerised.

Luckily Charity has a high threshold for embarrassment, as such, and due to the fact that she wants this so badly, and can’t be bothered to drag it out, she decides to make her intentions clear from the off. She puts a hand around the back of Vanessa’s neck, and pulls her forward for another kiss, if she pulls away, she can deal with it, but she doesn’t, in fact she returns the kiss in kind. 

“Do you want to come upstairs and find out?”

Vanessa nods, yes. All of those words that she spewed out a few seconds ago, forgotten, she’s completely under Charity’s spell. She needs those lips back on her.

Charity rises from the couch, pulling on Vanessa’s hand, the smaller woman offers no resistance she follows as Charity manoeuvres her up the stairs and into her bedroom. She closes the door behind them both, and looks Vanessa up and down, she is going to enjoy this, and she's going to make sure Vanessa enjoys it too.

Vanessa doesn’t feel nervous, which surprises her, she thought she would be given that this is her first time with a woman, but the way Charity is looking at her, the only thing she can think about is letting Charity take her, and her taking her right back.

She doesn’t have to wait long for Charity’s lips to back on her, she pushes Vanessa up against her bedroom door and attacks her lips with fervour. Much like in the cellar, Vanessa returns the kiss, and melts into the bar maid. God she is such a good kisser.

Charity makes light work of separating Vanessa from her Gillet, and her hands are immediately seeking out Vanessa’s skin underneath her blue jumper. Vanessa feels like she’s on fire, she immediately raises her arms, and Charity takes the hint instantly, breaking their kiss momentarily to pull the jumper over Vanessa’s head.

She takes a second to drink in Vanessa in her bra, wow. What a sight to behold. Vanessa doesn’t think she’s ever been looked at like this before. She seeks out the vet’s lips again.  
Charity starts to work her way down Vanessa’s neck, as her hands move up to cup the vet’s breast. Vanessa moans, she has never wanted anyone like this.

Charity stops momentarily, and looks Vanessa in her stunning blue eyes. “Are you sure?”

She wants to give her an out if she needs it, she is more than aware of the implications of the two of them sleeping together, especially in light of her history with Frank.

Vanessa melts, who knew that Charity can actually give a shit. Charity watches as Vanessa’s eyes darken, she wants this as much as she does. Vanessa pulls at Charity’s top, and the barmaid helps her remove it.

“I want this Charity.” Charity swallows hard, and nods, this time Vanessa reinitiates the kiss, and the passion ignites from there.

XXXXXXXXXX

A fair few hours later, Vanessa finds herself completely naked in Charity’s bed, gasping for breath, completely worn out. Charity isn’t fairing much better lying next to her.

“Wow. Didn’t know you had it in you Vanessa.”

“Neither did I.” she laughs, she really didn’t, Charity obviously brings something out in her.

“I should get out of your hair.” Vanessa knows Charity probably doesn’t want a sleepover.

Charity chuckles. “Can you even move?” Vanessa can hear the smugness in her voice, but in fairness she’s right, her legs are like jelly and she is exhausted.

“No, I suspect I can’t.”

Charity can’t either, and she’s on the cusp of sleep herself. “Just stay Vanessa.”

With that Charity rolls towards Vanessa and pulls her into a hug, who knew Charity Dingle was a cuddler, Vanessa can’t bring herself to over analyse things, so instead she gives into her tiredness, as seems to be her mantra when it comes to Charity, she will worry about everything else in the morning.

XXXXXXXXXX

Just like the morning after the cellar, Vanessa is in full panic stations. Charity woke her has she was sneaking out of the bed, Vanessa heard her shuffle into a dressing gown and disappear to god knows where. All she can think about is her Dad, how did she let herself sleep with Charity? If he Dad ever finds out she will die. That’s literally all she can think about, she can't let herself think about how fantastic the sex with Charity was, she absolutely can’t think about that.

She runs around the room, throwing on her clothes from yesterday, she doesn’t even pause to tie her hair back again. Charity still hasn’t come back, who knows where she’s gone, it clearly wasn’t a bathroom visit.

She bumps into the object of her thoughts at the bottom of the stairs, her heart drops slightly when she sees the two mugs of tea, that’s where she disappeared to, Vanessa almost feels bad for running away for the second morning in a row. 

“Running out on me again?” Charity can’t believe it really, she didn’t think Vanessa would run out on her like all of the rest of them. Although she should have known after she bolted from the cellar.

“I’ve er, I’ve got to get to work.” 

“Hmmm, sad face. See you next time then yeah?” Charity states confidently.

“Charity, there won’t be…” Even as Vanessa struggles to finish her sentence she knows it’s not true, she doubts she would be able to resist Charity should the opportunity arise again.

“Yeah there will.”

Vanessa knows she’s right, she doesn’t even bother trying to argue it. What a mess. She quickly leaves through the back exit of the pub, and unbelievably bumps into Paddy again.

“Why are you always here.”

“Well I could ask you the same thing couldn’t I, but I expect I know the answer. Yesterday you were worried that she was going to tell everyone you’d kissed her.” Paddy can’t quite believe he’s caught Vanessa doing the walk of shame from the pub for the second day in a row.

“I know and I went to talk to her.” Vanessa tries to justify.

“It looks like you did a lot more than talk.”

Vanessa stomach does somersaults again. “She’s definitely going to tell everyone now, int she?”

“She might not.” Paddy doesn’t even believe the words as he says them.

“Of course, she will.” Well at least Vanessa knows.

Paddy can’t cope with Vanessa acting like a child, she slept with Charity, she needs to be adult enough to deal with the consequences. “Well you’re just going to have to deal with it then aren’t you? It won’t be as bad as you’re thinking, I’m sure.”

Vanessa voices her biggest fear. “My Dad, can’t find out. Nobody can. Oh, please Paddy, can you talk to her?”

“No. No no no no. I’ve seen where talking gets you, and I don’t want to be the next one doing the walk of shame tomorrow.”

“I’m desperate and you’re my only hope.” She is literally pleading with him now.

Paddy takes pity on her. “I suppose so. Stop it.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Paddy tepidly makes his way into the Woolpack, later than day to speak to Charity about Vanessa, to say he’s nervous is an understatement. Charity is behind the bar and greets him straight away. 

“What can I get you Paddy?” She’s in a chipper mood.

Paddy decides to get straight to the point. “I haven’t come to drink, I’ve come to chat.”

Charity assumes he wants his best friend. “Well Marlon’s busy so it’ll have to wait.”

“Not with Marlon, with you. Can we just nip in the back?”

“No this isn’t self-service, what do you want Paddy?” he’s starting to annoy her now.

“It’s about what happened between you and Vanessa. She’s very upset.”

Charity can’t believe her ears. “Upset? What has she got to be upset about? I was brilliant. She weren’t complaining anyway.”

Paddy shakes his head in disgust. “I really don’t want to know any details. I just need, y’know. To make sure, y’know, Vanessa, would prefer it if you didn’t tell anybody, or anyone because nothing like this has ever happened to her before.”

Charity should have known that Vanessa would freak out about the fact that she’s a woman, she assumes that, that freak out was secondary to her freak out about Frank finding out. “Well it’s not that big a deal, it’s just sex.”

“With a, with a, with a woman?”

“Yeah, it’s just the same.”

“No, it’s not.” Paddy is fairly adamant on this point.

“Well it is to me.” Charity explains freely.

“Well you’re not like other people.”

“Oo is that an insult?”

“No far from it, I admire your attitude, you’re not uptight, you don’t care who you sleep with.” Paddy doesn’t mean it to come across as an insult, he genuinely does admire that she views it as just sex, and the gender of her bed mate doesn’t matter.

“That’s definitely an insult in there.” Charity doesn’t take it in the way he intended.

He tries to appeal to Charity’s compassionate side, he should have known it wasn’t a great plan. “But all I’m saying. All I’m saying, is you need to try and see things from Vanessa’s point of view.”

“I don’t need to do anything, ‘cos she’s a stuck-up cow, who gets other people to fight her battles for her, and do you know what, you ain’t doing a good job Paddy.”

Paddy’s not really sure how he managed to get that so wrong. He gingerly walks out of the pub, not entirely sure what he’s going to tell Vanessa. He doesn’t have a chance to dwell on it as Vanessa is waiting for him at the door. 

Vanessa is beside herself, she needs confirmation that Paddy has sorted this mess out for her. “Did you speak to her?” Paddy nod’s yes. “And?”

“I think the plan might have backfired a little bit.”

Vanessa is frantic. “I don’t believe this. How have you managed to make this worse?”

“I dunno, because it’s Charity. I tried my best.”

“Oh, Paddy what am I supposed to do now?”

Paddy needs Vanessa to take charge and deal with her self-made problems like a real adult. “Try not to worry about it. Yeah, I think your dad might be a bit upset but, I think he’ll get used to the idea.”

“Er there’s nothing to get used to. It’s never happening again.” Vanessa thinks the more she says it out loud the more she might actually start to believe it.

Daz sees Vanessa and approaches her from behind, keen to pick up where they left off at Finn’s funeral.

“Hey. You alright? Only you were pretty out of it last time I saw you.” Daz directs his questions to Vanessa.

Vanessa just sees an opportunity to prove her heterosexuality, and try and get Charity out of her system. “Oh, I’m fine. Look are you busy later?”

“Why?” Daz is sceptical. 

“Thought maybe we could go for a drink?” Vanessa presses on.

“What are you still drunk from the other day are you?”

He’s annoying her already, probably not a good omen, but oh well. “Well do you want to or don’t you?”

“Yeah, alright then.” Daz quickly agrees, he’s not daft enough to look a gift horse in the mouth. 

“Brilliant.”

“Right, laters.” Daz leaves, and Vanessa can’t help but think that she is making yet another mistake.

Paddy having watched the whole exchange with mild disgust gives Vanessa his best judgmental look, before she sighs and leaves.

XXXXXXXXXX

Vanessa spent the rest of the afternoon getting ready for her date with Daz, she can’t really summon up any excitement about it, but she wants to look nice at least. She’s arranged to meet him in David’s shop, she can’t bear the thought of going anywhere near the pub. She strolls over the threshold of the shop, ready for her date, to find her sister Tracy at the till and her Dad Frank, loitering. 

“Woah, check you out.” Tracy thinks her sister looks incredible.

“Can I have a coffee?” Vanessa smiles smugly, she knows she looks good.

Frank can’t help but question his oldest daughters’ attire, it doesn’t really make sense in context with her location. “All dressed up to go in here?”

“I’ve got a date if you must know.” Vanessa wants them to know that she has a date, with a man.

“Ah who with?” Frank queries.

“Daz.” Vanessa isn’t really that overjoyed that she has to reveal her date is with Daz, but beggars can’t be choosers.

“Daz?” Frank is still perplexed, why on earth would his daughter waste her time on a loser like Daz.

“That’s right” Vanessa tries to muster up some expression on her face that suggests that she’s remotely excited.

Tracy is the first to question her sister’s choice of date. “After he knocked you back?”

Vanessa defends him. “I was drunk and he was being a gentleman. He didn’t want to take advantage.”

Tracy notices the object of their discussion strolling in. “Oo, he’s here.” Daz starts to move forwards to join Vanessa at the till.

Frank still completely confused. “Are you sure, he’s your type?”

Vanessa whispers out before Daz actually arrives. “I don’t have a type.”

Tracy scoffs. “I’m pretty sure you do; young and fit.” Of which Daz is neither. 

Daz arrives at the till and looks Vanessa up and down. “Wow. Well you look amazing. “

“Thanks”

“Could we go to the pub?” He wants to be anywhere other than here.

“Aw it’s alright here.” Vanessa argues, she really doesn’t want to go to the pub.

“I know it’s just erm, I have a bit of history with this place. Long time ago. Well David doesn’t really like me. Plus, your Dad’s giving me the evils.”

“Aw, just ignore him” Vanessa tries in vain to put him off the pub.

Daz it seems cannot take a hint. “I’d feel a lot more at home in the pub though, if you don’t mind?”

“Right well, if that’s what you want. I’ll just, erm, just finish my drink.” Vanessa is defeated. The thought of seeing Charity again terrifies her.

XXXXXXXXXX

Vanessa steps into the pub, adrenaline pumping through her veins. She’s decided her best port of call is to show Charity and everyone else that she is 100% heterosexual.

She starts to fawn over Daz in an obvious manner. “Oh I love a man in uniform.”

“Yeah?” Daz is slightly taken aback.

“Yeah well you were in the Army, weren’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“I bet you looked fit.” Vanessa cringes as she says it.

Robert who had been sitting at the bar minding his own business can’t help but jump in, laughing slightly as he does. “I bet he didn’t.” 

Paddy takes in the overt display Vanessa is putting on, and knowing that Charity is working right now, he is mightily concerned about what might happen. Rhona, who has also been taken aback by Vanessa’s display with Daz gives Paddy a questioning look, he clearly knows more than she does about what’s going on here. “Don’t ask.”

Charity had been in the back, but chooses this precise moment to come back through to the bar, she clocks Vanessa and Daz immediately, and her heart drops a little, Vanessa looks stunning she’s clearly on a date. Charity knows exactly what she’s trying to do, and decides that she can potentially have some fun here, Vanessa deserves it for rubbing this in her face, right? “Hey. Well this is a surprise. Wanna pint?”

Daz smiles at Charity. “Yeah”

Vanessa wants to separate them as quickly as possible. “Do you want to get a table?” She asks Daz.

Ever the gentleman. “No, it’s my round.”

Wow, this bloke really cannot take a hint. “Well you can get the next one.”

Charity can see the panic rising in her, well lover she supposes now. “Don’t send him away. I want to hear all about this, whatever this is.”

Frank wanders into the pub, and heads straight for Megan who is already seated at the bar, and another interested spectator. Vanessa feels like she’s drowning a bit, she hates that she brought this on herself by panicking about her sexuality.

“Oh, hey you’ve got an audience now.” Charity gleefully highlights Frank’s arrival. Serves Vanessa right for treating Charity like she’s some sort of embarrassing monster.  
Now it’s Daz who’s a little put out. “Does your dad follow you around on all your dates?”

Vanessa tries to plaster on a fake smile, she is drowning in humiliation. “No this is a first. What you doing here?”

The truth is, Frank is worried about her, there’s no way she would have agreed to a date with Daz, something is definitely up. “Well I was thirsty. Pint please.”

“Dad.” Vanessa is mortified.

“Well don’t worry I won’t interfere. You enjoy yourself.”

Vanessa needs to get out of here. “Do you want to go somewhere else?”

“No, no no, I’m fine, if, if you are?” Still incapable of taking a hint, Vanessa rolls her eyes.

Charity can’t help but smirk at Daz, and Vanessa’s predicament, what a plank he is. She decides to bring Frank back into play. “Hey you must be very proud, Vanessa, she’s got herself a real catch.”

Frank knows she’s being facetious, as Daz is most definitely not a catch. “Well at least she can get a man. Nobody will touch you.” In this instance he is protecting his daughters honour, however his go to mode of conversation with Charity is always an insult. It always will be, Vanessa’s head drops.

“Well you did, so.” Charity bites back.

Megan grimaces at Frank. “Well you walked right into that one.”

Paddy, who has been watching the exchanges from his seat with Rhona, decides he needs to help Vanessa before this all blows up in her face. He jumps up and forces his way to the front of the bar, between Vanessa and Daz. “Another whole round of drinks please.”

“Excuse me, I’m serving Vanessa.” Charity tries to put him off.

“Well I’ll bring the drinks over. If you want to sit down. Sit down.” Vanessa and Daz make their way over to the table that Paddy just vacated, with Rhona, who is also still intrigued by what on earth is going on here. Charity continues to pour the drinks, but her attention is never away from Vanessa.

Daz pulls Vanessa’s chair out for her, Charity rolls her eyes at the action. “Here, here let me.” Daz then starts droning on about something and nothing. “Dan’s doing my head in, I might have to sleep in Hettie tonight.”

Vanessa, probably against her better judgment sees this as another opportunity to assert her sexuality, in front of Charity. “Aw, poor you.” She rubs Daz’s arm and touches his nose affectionately. “You’ll need someone to keep you warm.” 

Charity can’t quite believe her eyes, and Paddy has to close his; he knows Charity won’t be able to leave this. He turns towards the Charity, who is already leaving the drink she was pouring to move around the bar; and braces himself for the reaction from the land lady. “Please don’t do anything you’re gonna regret.”

“Who me? Paddy have you seen the state of her? Do you think that’s healthy throwing herself at him like that?” She’s going to do her utmost to make sure Vanessa doesn’t sleep with Daz as a way of proving anything to her or anyone else.

“Look that’s not for us to decide is it. She has to make up her own mind” Paddy desperately tries to put Charity off, but she continues making her way around the bar and out to the table where Vanessa is. Paddy’s pleading has fallen on deaf ears. 

“She did.” When she slept with me, is Charity’s main thought. “Ness. I’m really sorry babe, this, this isn’t right. Do you really think that sleeping with him is gonna make you forget about last night?” Vanessa face drops at Charity’s words. Why did she have to come to the pub?

Daz is confused, what is Charity on about? “What happened last night?”

“You don’t have to be scared. You can be gay, it’s fine.” Charity continues. Vanessa has palpitations at Charity dropping the G word. Oh god this is actually happening, and her Dad is sitting right over there.

Just to rub in that Frank is there he’s the next to speak. “Urgh, she’s on a date with a man.”

Charity gives the big reveal. “Yeah, but last night she was in bed with a woman. This woman” She gestures to herself.

Daz is surprised. “Well is it true?”

Frank refuses to believe it. Vanessa wouldn’t be that stupid to get involved with Charity after what she did with him. “Of course not.”

Rhona who knew something was off as soon as Vanessa and Daz arrived at the pub, looks over to where Charity and Paddy are still standing. “It is isn’t it?” Charity nods, and Paddy’s face serves as confirmation.

Vanessa is dying a little on the inside, Daz speaks up. “Only if it is, I’m not bothered.” That’s really the last thing Vanessa wanted to hear to be honest.

Charity laughs and shakes her head. “Oh, that is the typical bloke response that is. Were you not listening, she is gay.”

Frank is adamant that this is one of Charity’s stupid games. “She is not.”

Charity’s face drops. “Well she was the other night 100%. Very good kisser by the way. I mean come on admit it.” She craves Vanessa’s confession, knowing it will almost certainly mean she won’t be going home with Daz.

“You’re loving this aren’t you. Humiliating me?” Charity wasn’t expecting that, although thinking about it, it probably wasn’t her place to out Vanessa to the whole pub. But the opportunity to wind Frank up, and make sure Vanessa didn’t contaminate herself with Daz, was too good to pass up.

Frank can tell from his daughters’ reaction that there must be some truth to what Charity is saying. “What, it’s true?”

“I’m sorry.” Vanessa hates that she feels like she’s let her Dad down.

“Oh, don’t be. I know what she’s like. You know she used you to get to me.”

Vanessa is furious. Obviously, Charity couldn’t have just wanted her for her, had to be some ulterior motive. She grabs her bag and storms up to her Dad. “Why’s this always about you dad?”

She storms out of the pub. Humiliated. Charity watches her go, she feels terrible, not that she would ever let on to the current occupants of the pub, so instead she grins and wiggles her eyebrows at Frank, and then heads back behind the bar. She keeps going until she’s in the store room out the back, surrounded by boxes of crisps. She leans against the wall and takes a steadying breath. Why did she have to go and be all ‘Charity’. Vanessa will never forgive her for the little show she’s just put on. The thought that she might never have the feisty blonde’s lips on hers again, never have in her bed, upsets her more than she would ever admit.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Rhona had chased her best friend out of the pub, and convinced her to come over to her place for a brew. So here they are both currently nursing steaming hot mugs of tea.  
“There’s no need to be embarrassed you know?” Rhona reassures her.

“Everyone thinks I’m gay.”

“So, what if you are? There’s nothing wrong with it”

“I’m not, I’m 41 I think I’d know by now.” She would, wouldn’t she?

“Ness you’ve had these thoughts before, and you did sleep with Charity.”

“It just happened.” Which is technically true.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Rhona is a little hurt, its clear that she told Paddy.

“’Cos I was stressed and confused, and you’ve been through so much, I didn’t want to put my pathetic problems on you.”

“You have been the most amazing, the most supportive friend to me, you should have let me do the same for you.” Vanessa moves to try and say sorry to Rhona, she never intended to make her best friend feel inferior. 

“No, I’m not looking for you to apologise, I just wanna let you know that whatever its is you’re going through, I’m here and I will be right by your side. This cant have been a massive surprise to you? You’ve had feelings for women before.”

Vanessa sighs. “Only you, and even that was blurred. I think I confused loving you with being in love, aw I don’t know.”

“You don’t think you’re in love with Charity, do you?”

Vanessa is appalled. “God, No. Oh no it was nothing like that she was just there and up for it, and well I haven’t slept with anyone for a really long time.” Vanessa feels bad for cheapening it, but she’s not ready to tell anyone, even her best friend about the control Charity appears to have over her.

“Hmmm I’m sure you could have found somebody else though, it didn’t have to be her. So, you must have been attracted to her?”

“I was.” She can’t deny that, Charity is stunning, an image of beauty, naked and vulnerable, and not at all like everyday Charity, full with mask in place so no one really ever gets to see her.

“Right. So, and this isn’t me trying to put a label on you but, maybe you are gay, or bi? And whichever it is, it’s fine. You don’t even have to decide.”

“I just wish I knew.” That’s the thing, she doesn’t know. All she knows is that she’s never been attracted to anyone like is she is to Charity Dingle. Male or Female.  
What a mess.

XXXXXXXXXXX


	2. Secret Affair

I own nothing

It has been a month since her dalliance with Charity. One month exactly, weirdly. A lot has happened in that month, there was her attempt to seduce Daz in Hetty, she still cringes at the thought. Thank god she didn’t go though with it.

Then there was of course, her announcing to the pub that she and Charity had slept together, which in turn led to bouts of advice from Robert, and Brenda of all people, her anecdote about the lesbian brown owl, hadn’t exactly been welcome.

The disaster that was Tracy’s attempt to set her up with her accountant, the amazingly attractive, incredibly dull Amanda.

Finally, there was her dad; he’d been okay about the potential lesbian thing, not so much about the potential Charity thing. His words have been reverberating around her skull for the last month ‘let’s just make a deal that both of us stay away from a certain blonde bar maid’s’. Vanessa didn’t respond at the time, and the honest truth is she hasn’t been able to get the blonde bar maid out of her head since. She can’t say that Charity feels the same, she’s barely said two words to her since the aftermath of them sleeping together.

Which is why she’s so pissed off with her when she bumps right into her as she leaving the pub to get ready for the call out at the Dunstable Farm, which she had to argue Rhona out of taking so she’d speak to Paddy. 

“Oh, Careful”

Vanessa can see that Charity has clearly been shopping, she’s laden with bags. It takes Charity a couple of seconds to compose herself after being barged into, but when she does, she delighted to see that it’s Vanessa that just nearly put her flat on her arse. She’s been busy in the last month since she last had her in her bed, but she told Vanessa at the time, that it wouldn’t be the last time. Maybe its time to get the gorgeous vet back there.

“Hey. Where you running off to?”

“What business is that of yours?” Vanessa is not in the mood to give her the time of day after almost a month of being ignored.

“You know when you get stroppy, your nose twitches. It’s very cute.” Charity attempts to flirt again. Much to her chargrin Vanessa it seems is in no mood for her right now.

“I’ll get really cute if you don’t get out of my way.” Charity knows when she’s fighting a losing battle so she dramatically steps to one side to let the vet pass. She will form another plan of attack later. Clearly ‘cheeky over confidence’ isn’t doing it for Vanessa right now.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Despite it being her day off, she’s in a semi decent mood, so Charity has allowed herself to be talked into working for a couple of hours by Chas, and she’s glad she did when the object of her thoughts for much of the afternoon comes strolling back into the Woolpack. Her unexpected shift is about to get better it seems. Vanessa is still wearing her hair in a beehive style, but she’s clearly been roped into doing something work related if that industrial green jacket is anything to go by. She still looks absolutely stunning.

Vanessa is only coming back to the pub to see if Rhona and Paddy have talked yet, or if she’s going to have to bang their heads together. It seems like she’s going to have to get cracking, as she spies her two friends, still in the pub, but at separate tables at either end. She hasn’t even spotted Charity as she subconsciously meanders towards the bar, her concentration completely on the two other vets in the establishment. So, she’s a little taken aback when she hears the familiar tones of her former lover. She nearly falls over when she hears the apology fall from her lips.

“Hey erm. I’m sorry about before, you know winding you up.” Charity, having thought about for much of the afternoon, has decided on sincerity rather than overconfidence May be a better way of enticing Vanessa back to bed.

“Isn’t that what you do?” Vanessa can’t help the bite in her voice, although she feels her animosity towards the woman depleting every second, she’s in proximity to the land lady.

Charity has absolutely no threshold for embarrassment, so she tries to make it a little clearer for Vanessa exactly why she’s attempting to be nice to her. “I do at lot of things. I’m free later if you want me to fill you in.” 

She pins Vanessa with a look that leaves the vet in no doubt as to what she’s implying, and is delighted when rather than shooting her down straight away, which to be fair she had expected, the blond simply looks at her, her face contorted with confusion, and conflict, she simply walks away towards Rhona.

“Well that wasn’t a no.” Charity smirks as she whispers to herself.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Vanessa headed home after the pub, had a shower to wash the stink of the farm off of her, and now finds herself enjoying a glass of wine on her couch. Her dad and Megan had Johnny, it had been arranged for ages that he was having a sleep over with Eliza.

Vanessa hates it, but she can’t get Charity’s proposition from earlier out of her mind. Her rational brain tells her that she shouldn’t act on it, that she won’t. But she knew when she got out of the shower and got redressed into jeans rather than her comfy house clothes, that she was always going to talk herself into seeking Charity out. She still hasn’t convinced herself. She thought if she had a glass of wine or two, she’d talk herself out of it, too tipsy to start anything up, she knows Charity wouldn’t make a move if she thought Vanessa was too drunk to consent.

But she’s only had a couple of mouth fulls of wine, she doesn’t know why she’s trying to kid herself, why she’s trying to convince herself. She knows she wants her, she has for the last month, and Charity made it clear today, finally, that she wants her too. She decides there and then to just man up and head back over to the pub, it’s inevitable that she’s going to anyway. At least if she gets over there early enough, she can do it under the guise that she fancied a drink while she has a child free evening, that way if Charity has changed her mind, she can just leave after her drink.

If she turns up after last orders, it’s obvious what’s she’s going for, and that plays into Charity’s games, gives her the control. She sighs, discarding her glass of wine and grabbing her coat. No time like the present.

XXXXXXXXXXX

When she arrives at the pub, she’s happy to see it’s fairly deserted, and equally delighted to see that Charity is still working. Well working is probably a loose description of what she’s doing right now, she’s currently pawing through a magazine. Vanessa makes her way to the bar and takes a seat close to where Charity is perched. The movement grabs Charity’s attention, and when she glances up, she’s delighted to see Vanessa. She hoped that the seed she planted earlier would lead to the beautiful vet coming back.

She discards the magazine immediately and saunters over to the stunning blonde, who has a slight look of trepidation on her face. Charity can’t really blame her. But she’s too tired and she wants Vanessa back in her bed too much to play too many games right now.

“Pint?” Vanessa nods, yes. Charity starts to pour, and there’s a loaded silence between them as she does.

She places the full pint in front of the petit woman, and when Vanessa hands over a fiver to pay, Charity shakes her head. “On the house.”

When Vanessa looks confused Charity attempts to explain. “Well you’ve saved me, haven’t you?”

Vanessa is still none the wiser. “From a night of immense boredom in here. I don’t know if you’ve noticed babe, but is bloody dead.”

Vanessa smiles as she looks around, there are literally only a couple of other people in the pub. “Johnny’s at my dads, I thought I’d make the most of my child free evening. I may as well have stayed at home with my bottle of wine.”

She tries her very best to make it sound convincing. But she can tell by the smirk on Charity’s face that the bar maid knows exactly why she’s really here.

Vanessa gulps at the intensity of Charity’s stare, she’s takes a sip of her pint, anything to act as a distraction.

Charity doesn’t know who Vanessa’s trying to kid, they both know why she’s here. “Don’t worry babe, I’ll make it worth your while.” Charity winks and Vanessa smirks, happy at least that Charity hasn’t taken the opportunity to humiliate her in some way for giving into this wanting, for wanting her.

When Vanessa had arrived there had still been about an hour til closing. Much to her surprise Charity had spent the majority of it with her, she’s obviously left her as and when duty called, which wasn’t often. But they had chatted, not about anything important, they’d laughed, they’d even been able to finish the crossword in Charity’s magazine between them. It had surprised Vanessa just how friendly and intelligent Charity could be when she wanted to. Obviously there had been no audience for her to play up to tonight, had there been it could have been a completely different experience, but as it is, she’s actually had a really pleasant evening. As last orders had been drawing closer and closer, the anxiety that Vanessa could feel in her stomach was growing and growing. How should she play it? 

As much as they have had a nice evening, Vanessa doesn’t want to give Charity the chance to ruin it. Although it seems that Charity may have taken that option out of her hands. The other two punters had left the pub about 10 minutes ago, and Charity has been meandering around the pub, sorting it for closing while Vanessa watches from the bar, nursing her drink. Charity heads through to the front door, and Vanessa hears her close the latch and lock them in. The sound sends a thrill to her core. Charity comes back into the main bar, and smiles at Vanessa. Before heading out of the side door and throwing the latch across on that one too.

When she comes back in, she heads straight over to Vanessa at the bar, leaving the couple of empties she’d gathered and a cloth on the bar. Vanessa turns to face her. “How am I supposed to get out?”

The smile on her face lets Charity know that Vanessa has no intention of going anywhere. Vanessa turning on the bar stool means that Charity can step into her personal space between her legs, and Vanessa accommodates her immediately. Charity’s smirk has never left her face. “The locks work both ways, if you really want to go.” Charity leans into the vet as she speaks.

It gives Vanessa the confidence to put her arms around charity’s neck, confirming without words what they both already know. Charity doesn’t want to waste anymore time so she dips down and takes Vanessa’s lips with her own. Vanessa gives into it immediately, her whole body starts to tingle with anticipation, and she can’t remember ever feeling like this before at the prospect of sex. Charity is as surprised at the effect the kiss has on her, but she pushes it to the back of her mind. This is just a bit of fun, just sex.

The kiss starts to become more and more heated, hands start wandering and Charity knows that they need to take this upstairs. Which in itself presents a problem. She pulls back from the kiss, and clears her throat, surprised that she feels a little nervous. Vanessa eyes her suspiciously firstly wondering why she’s stopped the kiss, and secondly wondering why Charity looks so sheepish.

“So, how do want to play this?” 

Vanessa’s face scrunches up in confusion. Clearly, she’s going to need more of an explanation. “Urm, I mean moving this to the bedroom.”

Vanessa is still none the wiser. Charity continues. “Because Chas might still be up, and we have to go through the front room, to get to the bedroom.” Charity looks away, she doesn’t know why she feels so embarrassed, why she cares so much about Vanessa’s answer, other than that she’s used to being people’s dirty little secret, and she’s sure that Vanessa will want to treat her as the same.

She isn’t prepared for Vanessa to chuckle. The vet honestly hadn’t even thought about Chas, and she’s touched that Charity has, it’s clearly for her benefit. “You make it sound like we’re a couple of kids sneaking around.”

“Well we’re definitely not kids’ babe, but I thought the sneaking around part.” Charity shrugs and looks away again.

Vanessa doesn’t really understand what’s happening, but she takes Charity’s face in her hands, and forces Charity to make eye contact. “Listen it’s not like I want the whole village knowing our private business, but Chas is your cousin, right?” Charity nods. “So, I’m sure if she is still up, we can rely on her to be discreet?”

Charity just nods, she can’t speak. She doesn’t know what to say. She was so sure Vanessa would have been mortified at the prospect of Chas discovering them. Vanessa breaks the slight tension that has descended. “So, are you taking me to your bedroom or what?”

Charity shakes her head and smiles. This woman is something else. She grabs her hand and leads her through the bar. As it happens, Chas had already gone to bed, so it wasn’t even an issue in the end anyway.

XXXXXXXXXX 

Vanessa woke up at 6am the next day. She has to be home early as her dad is dropping Johnny off on his way to work so she can take him to nursery before she has to get to work herself. Not a prospect she’s looking forward to, she’s exhausted. Charity really put her through her paces last night. She dreads to think how much sleep she actually got.

She hates the thought that it might come across that she’s running away again, but she just can’t leave it any longer. She checks the time on her phone again, yep she really does have to go. She lethargically pulls the covers back and swings her legs out of the bed. Charity stirs a little causing Vanessa to glance back at her, she looks so peaceful. 

She starts to move around the bedroom, picking up her discarded clothes and quickly redressing. Charity had heard Vanessa sigh a few times, but had been reluctant to open her eyes while the smaller blonde was still in her embrace. She had inwardly frowned when she felt Vanessa getting out of her bed, and finally does open her eyes when she hears her start rustling around her bedroom. She yawns and pulls herself up into a sitting position, bringing the covers up to stay across her chest as she does.

“Are you running out on me again Woodfield.”

Vanessa is a little startled that Charity has spoken at all. She heads back to the bed once she’s fully dressed and sits down so she’s close to Charity. “No. I’m not. My dads dropping Johnny off early so I’ve got to get back.”

Charity nods.

“So, I’ll have to wait for next time to sample your brew making skills.” Vanessa knows it’s a bit bold, but the brilliant smile it brings onto Charity’s face confirms that it was worth the risk. She’s also delighted that Charity seems to be keen for a next time.

“It will be worth the wait babe. My brew making skills are legendary.”

Vanessa smiles and leans forward, placing a quick kiss onto her lovers’ lips. “I’ll see you later yeah.”

Charity nods, and Vanessa takes her cue to leave. Charity watches her go and collapses back into the bed, happy that she doesn’t have to be up for a fair few hours. Vanessa is really a pocket rocket. Charity could get used to this.

XXXXXXXXXX

They carried on in that vain for a while. Just sex. A lot of sex. As and when they both wanted. They did talk, not about anything extremely important, just about how their day had been, or sharing a funny story they’d seen or heard recently, making the other laugh. Enjoying each others company. 

There had been a bit of an awkward encounter when Charity told Vanessa about the random man, she’d slept with in between their first time and whatever this is started up. Charity doesn’t really know why she told Vanessa, they weren’t together at the time, they’re not together now. But she didn’t want to keep it from her, for it to potentially come out further down the line and ruin whatever this might become, because over the last few weeks, Charity has started to think that it could potentially become something more than just mind-blowing sex. She’s not entirely happy at the thought. It scares her.

Vanessa reacted nonchalantly, it was no big deal that Charity had slept with someone else. But deep down, she didn’t like it. She accepted it because they weren’t sleeping together at the time, but they are now, and Vanessa made it clear that while she was in Charity’s bed she would be upset if Charity was sharing it with someone else at the same time. Charity knew she wouldn’t, because above all else while Vanessa was in her bed, she didn’t need anyone else. There’s that fear again.

Charity craves her, and one thing she isn’t scared about is letting Vanessa know when she wants to see her. Its been a couple of days since she last had the blonde in her bed, they always stay at the pub, she’s not sure why, other than Vanessa probably wants to keep her away from her kid, sensible really. Plus, it was easy for Vanessa to sneak out early in the morning. Sometimes they’d share a brew before she left if Charity had to be up with the dray man.

She’s currently leant over the bar. Bored, and thinking about Vanessa. She presses send on the text. ‘I want to see you. Come over tonight.’

Vanessa is stood chatting with her Dad and Megan, discussing what to do with the stray dog her Dad has taken to his heart, when she feels her phone vibrate in her pocket. When she pulls it out reads it over, she bites her lip. As much as she would love to sneak over, something she’s become an expert at over the last few weeks, she can’t. She can’t keep dumping Johnny on her Dad, Tracy, and Rhona, especially not this last minute, not again. She says bye to her Dad and Megan, and makes her way back over to the vets. She types out a quick reply.

‘Can’t sorry. No one to have Johnny.’

Charity grabs her phone as soon as it beeps, she doesn’t even flinch anymore at the speed at which she does it. She needs to see Vanessa. She frowns at the reply.

‘Can’t your Dad or Tracy have him?’

Vanessa shakes her head, exasperated. She can’t just fob her son off at the drop of a hat. ‘No Charity, I can’t ask them this last minute. Again. You need give me more notice.’

Charity reads the message in her head in Vanessa’s annoyed voice, she can tell the smaller woman isn’t happy. She sighs. She tries not to dwell on the fact just how much she hates the thought of not seeing Vanessa tonight, convinces herself that its just about the sex.

‘What time does he go to bed?’

Vanessa wasn’t expecting that. She looks at her phone like its just presented her with the worlds most difficult puzzle. Clearly her face conveys the same, as she hears Rhona somewhere close by. “Everything alright Ness?”

She pulls her attention from the message and switches her perplexed glare to her friend, but doesn’t offer her any words, spurring Rhona on. She gestures to the phone which Vanessa is still clutching. “Not bad news is it?”

This seems to pull Vanessa back to reality. “Oh no. It’s nothing.” She types out a quick reply. ‘7.30ish.’ before throwing her phone back in her pocket and getting back to work.

XXXXXXXXXX

Its around 8.30pm when Vanessa hears a knock at her front door. She’s had such a hectic day she almost forgot about Charity’s weird text earlier, but the knock on the door brings it flooding back. She jumps up to answer it, and cringes a little at her attire, once she got Johnny down, she had jumped in the shower, and thrown on some sweats and a hoody.

She opens the door and is met by a smiling Charity. Charity quickly looks her up and down. “Wow babe. Has the romance died already?”

Vanessa grabs her arm and pulls her in closing the door behind her. “I wasn’t expecting company.”

Charity smiles. “Yes, you were.” She looks around the room. “Not got anyone else in, here have you?”

Vanessa smiles at the frown that appears on Charity’s face as she speaks. “Only Johnny who’s in bed, as you well know.”

Charity’s smile reappears and she drops down onto Vanessa’s couch, scoping up the remote for the TV is one swift movement. “What are we watching then?”

Vanessa eyes her with suspicion. This is new. Not only Charity coming to hers, but them not taking things straight to the bedroom. She decides to go with it. “Do you want a glass of wine?”

Charity absentmindedly nods yes, whiles she’s flicking through the channels. Vanessa sets about pouring them both a glass, before she joins Charity on the sofa. She’s still not sure what’s going on, so she sits at the opposite end after placing down both glasses on the coffee table.

Charity rolls her eyes. “You better get over here, now.” She taps the space next to her whilst never taking her eyes from the TV.

Vanessa still unsure of herself, moves closer, and Charity accommodates her immediately, as the vet snuggles down into her side. There’s a little tension at first, this is new for both of them. But like most of the awkwardness between them, it doesn’t last and they both relax into the embrace.

“Oh yes babe. Titanic, and it only started 10 minutes ago.” Charity drops the remote and grabs her wine, before settling back down into Vanessa. The vet just takes in Charity’s delight at finding what appears to be one of her favourite films, and she can’t help the smile that creeps onto her own face, before snuggling back down.

XXXXXXXXXX

Its about 30 minutes later when they’ve somehow manoeuvred from the position, they were in to the one they find themselves in now, completely wrapped in each other. Kissing, hands everywhere. Titanic still playing in the background. Vanessa moves to straddle Charity, a position they’ve both discovered the vet likes over the past few weeks.

Charity’s hands immediately sneak under Vanessa’s hoody, and they break the kiss momentarily to remove the garment, but Vanessa’s lips are back on hers immediately, and her tongue is back in her mouth a millisecond later. She doesn’t know when she became this type of person, but she could seriously kiss this woman forever.

Vanessa pulls back and jumps off of Charity, leaving the slightly older woman dazed and confused. Vanessa grabs her hand and pulls her up with her as she stands. “Bed now.”

Charity loves it when Vanessa is like this, eyes dilated, dark. Demanding. If she’s learnt one thing about the vet over these last few weeks its that she knows what she wants, and she isn’t shy in demanding it. Charity smirks and lets herself be led to Vanessa’s bedroom. She has a quick glance around when she first enters, she’s never been in here before after all, well since it’s been Vanessa’s bedroom anyway. But she doesn’t get chance to dwell, Vanessa is back on her as soon as the door is shut, devours her. She knows she’s going to have to be quieter than usual tonight, given that Johnny’s room is right next door, there infinitely more space between her room and Noah’s and Moses’ at the pub; she’s not sure how she’s going to manage it, with Vanessa in this mood.

XXXXXXXXXX

Vanessa wakes with a start. She glances and realises she’s in her own bedroom, she realises for the first time that Charity is in her bed with her. Charity’s hand is firmly around her waist, Vanessa smiles, but she doesn’t dwell on it, she knows that Charity is only here for one thing, she doesn’t want to get her hopes up for anything past that.

She panics a little when she hears her bedroom door creak open, she glances over her shoulder and sees her son standing there with his stuffed giraffe, looking rather sleepy and rather cute. She can’t help but smile at the sight, but she knows she has a dilemma here. Charity is likely to bolt if she wakes up and sees Johnny.

“Mummy. I had a nightmare.” His bottom lip starts to wobble, Vanessa sighs. She glances at the clock on her bedside table. 5.30am. Usually she would just let him get into bed with her, but she can’t freak Charity out like that, so she’ll have to get up with him. She’s exhausted after last night’s antics with Charity, so getting up at this hour is going to do nothing for her ability to make it through the day.

Just as she’s about to throw the covers back to get out and deal with her boy, she clearly takes too much time in deciding how to deal with this issue, as before she has a chance to do anything, she hears Charity pipe up from next to her.

Charity had heard the exchange between mother and son. She knows Vanessa is probably going to get out of bed to deal with Johnny, and she knows that its for her benefit. But she just too warm, and comfortable to allow that to happen. That’s the only reason she tells herself.

She lifts her head, shocking both Vanessa and Johnny. “Was it a scary one little man?”

Johnny looks at his mum, before looking back to Charity. He smiles completely oblivious to the fact that there’s a random person in his mums’ bed. He must recognise Charity because he wouldn’t usually be as accepting of a complete stranger.

He moves towards the bed as he speaks. “There was great big dinos.” He starts to pull himself up onto Charity’s side of the bed, while he tells her the tale.

Charity’s eyes go wide with shock, playing into Johnny’s story, Vanessa’s jaw drops. On thinking about it, she shouldn’t be surprised that Charity is good with kids, Moses is Johnny’s age after all. Charity pulls Johnny up the rest of the way so he’s seated between her and Vanessa.

“Was there a t-rex?”

Johnny nods enthusiastically. “Well you know dinosaurs aren’t real anymore don’t you little man?”

He nods again. “So, there’s nothing to be scared off is there?”

Johnny appears to mull it over before smiling and nod to show that he agrees with Charity, his eyes are drooping already, and Charity smirks over at Vanessa who still looks absolutely bewildered at the exchange between Charity and her son.

Johnny beds himself down, on top of the covers between his mum and Charity, with his thumb firmly in his mouth, and Charity, as if it’s absolutely nothing, snuggles back in herself, throwing her arm back around Vanessa and pulling Johnny into the embrace too. Vanessa is dumbfounded. There’s no way she’ll be able to get back to sleep after that.

XXXXXXXXX

Because she genuinely wasn’t sure if Charity was coming over last night or not, she didn’t adjust her alarm to allow her lover a bit of extra time to sneak out before Tracy arrives to pick Johnny up so she can drop him off at Nursey. That combined with the fact that Johnny is now completely enamoured with Charity (she knows that feeling kid), and won’t leave her side, or let her leave his, means that the morning has been a bit of a disaster with regards to getting him ready, and getting herself ready. 

When Charity offered to watch him while she had a quick shower, Vanessa looked at her like she’d grown a second head, seems Johnny’s not the only one enamoured. But Vanessa can’t dwell on it, she’ll be much faster without Johnny in the bathroom with her.

She is cutting it really fine when she runs downs the stairs, as she’s throwing her back into a pony tail. She stops in her tracks when she sees Charity at the table with Johnny on her knee, she’s drinking a brew and she spies that Charity has made her one too. Johnny is stuffing face with toast which Charity has apparently made him.

Charity sees her, and quickly lifts Johnny, and places him back down on the seat she’s just vacated. “All sorted?”

Vanessa smiles. “Yeah, thanks for that. You didn’t have to.”

Charity just brushes it off, it’s no big deal right. “Right well I better get out of your hair. Go and sort my own kids out.”

Vanessa nods, and pulls her in for a quick kiss. When they pull away Charity looks a little sheepish. “So, in the interests of ‘giving you a bit more notice’, when are you next free?”

Vanessa rolls her eyes at the way Charity mimics her voice as she speaks. “Tonight actually, Johnny has his standard weekly sleep over at my dad’s.”

Charity is delighted. “Well I’m working till close, so come over whenever. I might even buy you a drink while you wait for me to finish.”

Vanessa smiles, she doesn’t know when propping up the bar to wait for Charity to finish work became the prospect of a good night, but she’s really looking forward to it already. She just nods to let Charity know that she’ll be there.

Charity gives her one final peck on the lips and then heads for the front door. When she swings it open, she panics when she finds Tracy on the other side.

Tracy clearly doesn’t look up immediately, but Charity knows exactly when she does. “Wow Vee you’re eager, I’m not late am….”

To say Tracy is shocked to see Charity Dingle sneaking out of her sister’s front door at barely past 7.30 in the morning is an understatement. Charity takes advantage of the shock, which has clearly rendered Tracy speechless.

“Tracy, always a pleasure.” She side steps the younger woman, and looks back at Vanessa with an apologetic look on her face, before heading over to the pub sharpishly, Chas will be up by now, so she’ll have her own inquisition to deal with when she gets home. She’s sure Vanessa can handle her sister.

Tracy watches Charity leave and walks into her sister’s house, jaw still swinging. Vanessa, who had watched the exchange between Charity and Vanessa at the door, braces herself.

Tracy just stares at her, as if it should be obvious what she wants to say, and Vanessa should provide her with an answer immediately. When Tracy still doesn’t speak, Vanessa decides that she needs to. “Tracy don’t start. I really don’t have time for this.”

Tracy is still struggling to speak. “Tell me that wasn’t what I think it was?”

“Tracy, I just said I don’t have time for this. Johnny, come and get your coat on sweetheart.”

Johnny dutifully scampers over and Vanessa starts pushing his arms into his sleeves.

“Vee, Charity Dingle?” Again, Tracy exasperatedly thinks that her sister should be able to automatically know just what she’s asking and provide a response.

Johnny speaks up. “I like Chatty.”

Vanessa cringes and Tracy’s brain explodes. “And its clearly serious if she’s been introduced to Johnny.”

Vanessa sighs. “Johnny go and grab you bag and wait by the door for aunty Tracy.” Again, Johnny, golden child that he is does exactly as he’s told. Vanessa quickly turns her attention back to her sister.

“Yes, I am sleeping with Charity. No, it isn’t serious. Her meeting Johnny was a bit of an accident due to a dinosaur dream; and Tracy, you cannot tell anyone about this. Any questions.”

Again, Tracy looks likes she about to have an aneurysm. “Loads.”

“Well they will have to wait until later. Please Tracy, don’t tell anyone. I don’t want it getting back to Dad.”

Tracy just nods, and satisfied Vanessa throws her own coat on. 

“Seriously though Vee, me and you are having a bottle of wine and a chat later.”

Vanessa thinks back to the plans she has literally just made with Charity. “I can’t tonight. I’ve got plans.”

“Vee.” Tracy warns, thinking her sister is trying to get out of speaking to her about whatever this is.

“Tomorrow alright, we can talk tomorrow.”

Tracy appears to accept this, and reluctantly heads towards the front door grabbing Johnny’s hand. Vanessa leans down and places a kiss on Johnny’s face. “Have a good day my love.”

“You too mummy.”

Tracy smiles at the interaction, and leaves without further word. Its been a strange 24 hours for Vanessa, she doesn’t have time to process it all now. She really could have done without Tracy finding out. She will have to deal with it all later, she’s going to be late for work.

XXXXXXXXX

Tracy unbelievably did keep her mouth shut, and actually became a great ally, taking Johnny whenever asked, even at the last minute. However, after that first morning that Charity interacted with Johnny a babysitter hadn’t been as necessary as before. Charity wasn’t scared to be in the house at the same time as Johnny, and Johnny seemingly got used to her being around every now and then. But they were careful never to let it be more than that, both acutely aware, without ever actually saying out loud, that it was not sensible for Johnny and Charity to form a meaningful bond.

And so, they carried on like that for over a month, seeing each other as much as they could, only ever in the evenings, and only ever under the premise of sex. They always had sex, that was their primary reason for spending time with each other after all. No strings attached.

Vanessa knows she can’t carry on like this. She’s not a robot. She’s already started having feelings for the stunning bar maid. She knows either they need to make a step in their relationship, which isn’t likely due to Charity, or she needs to end things. She’s not looking forward to the prospect of broaching either subject with Charity.

XXXXXXXXXX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always let me know what you think.
> 
> Twitter: Eden_Ashley_Chr


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing

Vanessa bottled it, as far as having a conversation with Charity about ‘where whatever this thing between them is going’. Enjoying Charity too much right now to potentially scare her off. So, they’ve carried on as they are, spending as much time together as possible, always at night, always at one of their houses, never in public, and usually in one of their beds. Vanessa has decided it’s enough for now.

She’s currently patiently waiting for Rhona, propped up at the bar, she greeted Charity when she arrived, and her lover is meandering around the pub, doing her job. Her and Rhona have a lunch date with Veronica, one of their biggest clients, they have to do it every year, and to be honest she could do without it, Veronica is a nightmare at the best of times. She’s more than glad that she at least has Rhona’s support against the evil woman this year.

She feels her phone vibrate in her hands, her heart drops when she sees Rhona’s name pop up. It sinks even further when she reads her best friends’ words on the screen.

“Aw You have got to be kidding me.” Vanessa can’t help but curse her best friend out loud. She cannot believe Rhona is doing this to her.

Charity happens to be walking past as Vanessa is having her little outburst, and she can’t help but get involved, one thing she’s discovered over these last few months, is that she loves the easy banter she and Vanessa have. “Aw please, if its that stupid video of a hamster riding an eagle, you do know it’s been photoshopped.”

Vanessa has absolutely no idea what Charity is talking about. “What? No, it’s Rhona.”

Now it’s Charity’s turn to be confused. “What riding an eagle? Being ridden by a hamster?” Charity sniggers at her own joke.

Vanessa clearly isn’t going to get any sense out of the barmaid. She huffs. “Standing me up.”

Charity smiles, she can’t resist a bit more banter. “Vanessa, are you two timing me?” She puts on her best shocked voice.

As if, we’d have to be together for me to be two timing you, is the vets first thought. She sighs and pushes it out of her mind, instead deciding to explain to Charity exactly what’s going on. “Aw I knew she’d try and pull and fast one. Paddy’s hiding.”

“No, Paddy’s through there, I think.” Charity gestures through to the back room where she’s sure her rotund friend is currently snuggling up to her cousin. The thought sends a shiver down her spine, urgh.

Vanessa just continues on with her explanation. “So, it’s left to me to do the annual smooze of Veronica.” Charity gives her a look that screams, who on Earth is Veronica. “Erm, she’s a high value client. We pay for lunch and listen to her insult us.”

Sounds like Vanessa is in for an awful afternoon. Charity is genuinely interested though. “Er. Is she a farmer?”

“No. Owns a stud farm.”

Charity being the comedy genius that she is, has a quick-fire witty retort for that. “What and that cant put a smile on her face?” She rolls her eyes when Vanessa clearly doesn’t get the joke. “I do know what a stud farm is, I was joking.”

Charity spots a rather well to do awkward looking older lady wander in through the front door of the pub. “Say this Veronica, is she a sour faced witchy looking thing?”

Well that description was uncanny. “Erm, sour faced, witchy, and tee total. Why d’you know her?”

“No, I don’t. I’m just guessing.” Charity gestures towards the door, causing Vanessa to look over. Great she’s arrived. Better get this over with.

She jumps down off the bar stool to go and meet Veronica, Charity watches her go, before getting back to clearing glasses. She does not envy Vanessa. Could be a good source of amusement for her for the rest of the afternoon mind you.

XXXXXXXXXX

Somehow Vanessa has managed to bite her tongue so far this afternoon. She’s not sure how much longer she can do it for, Veronica is still prattling on, nothing is ever good enough for her, and she’s mean with it too.

“Next time, I’ll choose the restaurant. Its like I got in my car in 2017 and got out in 1987. Keith Floyd in the kitchen, pound shop Kim Basinger behind the bar.”

Vanessa snaps a little, Charity isn’t a pound shop anything, thank you very much. “Do you mind? The people are nice here.”

Veronica it seems can’t help but be condescending. “Aw bless, I wonder if there’s a coffee machine here, and if anyone knows how to use it?” She apparently decides to find out. 

She gestures at Charity. “Excuse me.”

Charity is not impressed by the click of the fingers that accompanies stuck up Veronica’s words, but she decides to humour the older lady and makes her way over to the table.

Veronica continues as if Charity is some sort of imbecile. “If I said to you Espresso, what would spring to mind?”

Charity really doesn’t appreciate the way she’s being spoken to. Luckily there’s a couple of words that describe an espresso and the lovely Veronica. “Hmmmm. Small. And bitter.”

Veronica either doesn’t understand Charity’s double entendre or doesn’t care for it, either way she continues to treat Charity with utter contempt. “Well done. Now trot off and make me one.” Veronica waves Charity away as she speaks.

Charity is really working hard to hold her tongue here, for Vanessa’s sake, and to be fair to her the vet can see that; she’s completely surprised that Charity hasn’t risen to Veronica yet. Charity turns to Vanessa. “And what you having babe? Hold that thought I know exactly what you want.”

Charity quickly heads behind the bar, it is going to take all of her strength not to throttle this stuck up cow this afternoon.

XXXXXXXXXX

Veronica has droned on for what feels like hours. None of what’s she said has been complementary about Vanessa, or Paddy, or Rhona or the practice in general to be honest.

Vanessa has had to bite back ‘well if we’re that rubbish why haven’t you looked elsewhere’, a couple of times. She’s starting to wonder if Veronica’s money is actually worth the hassle of dealing with Veronica. She stopped listening to the older woman at least 10 minutes ago, and just as her eyes are about to well and truly glaze over, she spots Charity meandering past the table, she needs a break, any break.

“Another one of your delicious coffees please Charity. A large one.” She needs it, she’s knows Veronica will be even less impressed if she actually falls asleep on her.

Charity smiles at Vanessa, but immediately turns her attention to Veronica. “Oh, was everything to your satisfaction madam?”

Vanessa doesn’t want to give the stud farm owner another opportunity to insult her lover, so she jumps in before Veronica has a chance to speak. “She loved it.”

Veronica clearly doesn’t take the hint. “Don’t pander Vanessa. You know as well as I do the lunch was mediocre.”

Vanessa tries her best to rescue the situation, she looks at Charity. “It was very nice.”

Veronica tuts. “The lunch was nice; the people are nice. Its not a great quality in a person if you ask me. Wafting through life taking the easy options.”

Vanessa and Charity both roll their eyes. But actually, Charity isn’t going to let this evil witch speak to Vanessa like that, when all she’s trying to do is be kind. “Excuse me you know nothing about Vanessa or her life.”

Vanessa can see this getting out of hand really quickly, she pleads. “Charity don’t.”

Veronica continues with her tirade. “Rhona’s not afraid of speaking her mind.”

That’s all it takes for Charity to snap, Veronica can’t really be that thick, can she? “Probably why she’s not even here, safer that way. Rhona stood you up. Paddy stood you up. Shes the only one that wont actually throttle ya.” She points at Vanessa as she speaks.

Veronica clearly wasn’t expecting any kind of backchat, she’s obviously not used to it. “I think you need to go and get the owner.”

Charity is delighted. “I am the owner.” Weren’t expecting that were you, you stuck up bitch. “So, I’d like you to leave right now please. Or I will pull that poker right out your backside and hit you over the head with it. Yeah. Go on. Trot on.”

Vanessa chuckles as Charity imitates Veronica in the last part of her little tirade, plus she thinks she’s still a bit giddy with shock, at the way Charity just defended her.

Veronica isn’t impressed with Vanessa’s reaction. “You’re drunk. I’ll make sure Paddy Kirk hears about this.”

And with that the older stud farm owner swiftly leaves the pub.

Vanessa exhales loudly, glad at least that lunch is over, and a little exhilarated about how it ended. “I cannot believe you just did that. Aw my heart is racing.”

Charity has to agree, she was a little worried that Vanessa might be mad with her, she has just chased away one of her most valuable clients’ after all. However, she’s pleasantly surprised by the petite blonde’s reaction. She is not going to let this adrenaline go to waste. “Yeah so’s mine. Meet you down the cellar in in two minutes yeah?”

Vanessa can’t quite believe what Charity is suggesting. “What?”

Charity knows Vanessa is being coy. “You heard.”

Vanessa’s mind for some bizarre reason, goes straight to the obvious problem. “Who’ll serve?”

Charity can’t quite believe the vet has just asked that. “Who cares Vanessa?”

Without a further word Charity tells the punters that’s she nipping down to change a barrel, and then disappears out the back. Vanessa takes a final sip from her drink and sheepishly follows the bar maid through the back, luckily no one seems to take much notice of her as she slips through the bar.

XXXXXXXXXX

As soon as she’d got down the steps of the cellar Charity pounced on her. There’s a bit of nostalgia for them both down here, after all it is where they had their first kiss, but they don’t really have time for nostalgia, not with a pub full of punters upstairs, and currently no one serving them.

Vanessa decides that she’s going to take care of Charity as a thank you for defending her honour against Veronica. As they are in the midst of a passionate kiss, Vanessa starts manoeuvring Charity backwards, as she works on the button and the zip on her jeans. She feels the barmaid starting to smile into her kiss as she does.

Charity’s backside hits something, a ledge of some sort, either a barrel or a shelf, she’s not really sure, and she doesn’t really care, as she feels herself being lifted up onto it, as the same time as her trousers and underwear are being pulled down her legs, all the while Vanessa’s tongue never leaving her mouth. She’s impressed, Vanessa has been getting more and more bold the longer they been sleeping together, Charity loves the smaller woman’s confidence.

All of a sudden Vanessa’s tongue is out of her mouth, she opens her eyes as she frowns at the loss, but the smirk she finds on Vanessa’s face is unbelievably sexy. She watches dumbstruck as Vanessa drops to her knees, never breaking eye contact with Charity.

Charity gulps as Vanessa gives her one last smirk, before she rips her eyes away from Charity’s and focuses on her goal. She delighted to find that Charity is more than ready for her.

Again, worried about what’s going on upstairs, she decides that she doesn’t have a lot of time to waste, so dives right in.

As soon as Vanessa’s tongue makes contact with her, Charity’s eyes roll back into her head, she grabs the back of Vanessa’s head by the hair. She is definitely going to start sticking up for the vet more often if this is what it results in.

Vanessa is wild, practically attacking her. She’s running her tongue through her at pace, and Charity knows she isn’t going to last very long. She starts to tense against Vanessa, and pulls her head closer with one hand, as she braces herself against the wall with the other. Fuck she’s close.

Her bliss is brought to an abrupt end as she hears a shocked gasp. She whips her head up towards the stairs as she’s opening her eyes, and Charity is mortified to see Paddy three quarters of the way down the stairs, and staring at them both in opened mouth shock.

Vanessa had obviously also heard the noise, she’s never seen the smaller woman move so fast. She whips her mouth away at speed, and jumps to her feet as she pulls her sleeve across her mouth to wipe her face clean, Charity jumps down and immediately starts to frantically pull her underwear and trousers back up. As they are frantically trying to compose themselves, Paddy simply turns around and walks back up the cellar stairs without saying a word.

As the door shuts at the top of the stairs, they both look at each other still in shock. Charity decides to break the tension. “Bloody Paddy, a couple of more seconds and I’d have been well and truly taken care of. It’s going to be a frustrating afternoon.”

Vanessa laughs at the ridiculousness of it. But she swoops on Charity, and pushes her up against the wall, for another deep kiss. Charity moans as she tastes herself on Vanessa’s mouth. Its over all to quickly as Vanessa pulls back, smirking before deciding that she needs to get back up to the bar and face up to whatever’s waiting for her.

Charity watches her climb the stairs and out of view. “That really didn’t help babe.” She shakes her head smiling before she races up the stairs two at a time after Vanessa.

XXXXXXXXXX

Paddy very slowly made his way back into the bar, still in complete and utter shock, he’s never going to be able to get that image out of his mind. 

Rhona had been on the phone to Veronica for a solid ten minutes, she was clearly furious. So furious in fact that she’d hung up her. She spots Paddy coming back into the bar. “I’d like to know what has come over Vanessa, she is normally very good at controlling her tongue.” Paddy makes no attempt to speak, and Rhona can see there’s clearly something wrong with her ex husband if the look on his face is anything to go by. “Paddy what’s wrong?”

The sound of his name snaps him out of his shock. “I think I’ve just seen something I shouldn’t have.”

Rhona has no idea what he’s talking about, until Vanessa hurriedly enters the bar a few seconds later, wiping her mouth, closely followed by Charity who looks like she’s adjusting her clothes.

Paddy, who can’t bring himself to look at Vanessa, just points over to the other vet on the other side of the bar. “There’s Rhona there for you.”

Great, Vanessa thinks, it’s one thing Paddy knowing about her and Charity, but Rhona knowing is not good. Her best friend is not going to like it one bit. She quickly heads out of the bar and towards her oldest friend, and prepares herself for the lecture she knows she’s about to get.

Vanessa scarpering leaves Charity behind the bar with just Paddy. He still looks absolutely mortified. “Something to remember maybe. When it’s late and your lonely.”

Charity quickly gets back into bar maid mode, and heads towards the several empty glasses being wafted in her direction. This afternoon is going to be uncomfortable given the current state of her underwear. 

Vanessa has sat herself back down at one of the tables at the front of the bar. Rhona joined her, but so far, they have sat in silence, which suits Vanessa to be fair. Rhona is seems needs to vocalise. “She’s trouble.”

Well, there it is. Exactly what Vanessa was expecting from her best friend. The worst thing is, she knows Rhona’s right. She sighs. “maybe that’s what I like about her. She’s fun. It’s fun. She makes me laugh. I’m happier when she comes into the room, y’know. My heart, it beats a bit faster.”

Rhona sighs. She knows she’s not going to talk her Vanessa out of this. Nor should she have to, to be honest, Vanessa knows better than most what Charity can be like. Plus, she’s old enough to make her own mistakes. “Just be careful Ness, is all I’m saying.”

Rhona resolves to leave it there and takes a swig of her drink to stop herself from berating her pal further. Vanessa glances over at Charity. She feels at little downcast at Rhona’s words, but more so at the fact that she knows she probably won’t ever have to be careful with the gorgeous blonde bar maid. “Oh, give over Rhona. It’s nothing serious, no ones going to get hurt.”

She takes a swig of her own pint and swallows down the hurt she feels at her own words.

XXXXXXXXXX

After finishing her drink, Rhona had left, leaving Vanessa to nurse her pint. With a little bit of Dutch courage inside her, she decides to tentatively broach the subject of where this might be going with Charity. So, she’s positioned herself back at the bar.

Charity comes over from the other side, and starts speaking before Vanessa can even formulate any semblance of what she might actually say to the slightly older woman.  
“Listen Erm, I really hope I’ve not lost you business with, y’know with Veronica.”

Vanessa is momentarily taken aback by the fact that Charity is being nice to her, her mouth runs away with itself, literal verbal diarrhoea, caused by pure nerves, as she knows she got to try and steer this conversation in the direction she wants to. “Uh. I wouldn’t worry. We’ll send paddy to go and make nice. Maybe he’ll have to muck out her horses.” She can’t seem to stop herself. “In a French maid’s outfit.”

Charity watches the incessant chat fall from Vanessa’s lips and stats to wonder what on earths going on. Vanessa continues. “While she takes photos. I hope so.”

Vanessa cringes at the look on charity’s face, and internally shouts at her self to shut her gob. Charity isn’t really sure what to say, given she has no idea what the vet is going on about.

Vanessa braces herself, she decides, for some reason that reverse psychology is the way to go here, maybe she won’t freak Charity out that way. If she makes it clear that they aren’t a couple, Charity might correct her, or suggest that she wants them to be one?

“Look Charity, I don’t want any misunderstandings. I mean this was fun but, it’s not like we’re suddenly a couple.”

Charity’s eyes widen at the hopeful look on Vanessa face, she knows exactly what game the vet is trying to play here, and it terrifies her. She’s not ready to commit to more than what they’re currently doing. Instead of just covering that like a normal person, Charity just spews out the first thing that comes into her head. “Don’t flatter yourself. Couple of weeks and I’ll be bored of you.” She adds a laugh for effect and quickly turns away from Vanessa and heads out of the back, she can’t bear to see the look of disappointment on her face.

Vanessa just watches her leave. A little crushed, she’s not going to lie. It’s clear to her now that absolutely the best thing to do for her sake, is to end things with Charity. But as much as she knows that’s what she should do, she also knows that if Charity summoned her by text tomorrow, she’d come running. She needs to try and get the infuriating land lady out of her system.

XXXXXXXXXX

Given that Tracey, Rhona and Paddy, and half of the village thanks to Paddy’s interruption in the pub know about her and Charity; Vanessa decides she better tell her dad about them before he hears it from some other random in the village. Not that there’s much to tell after her and Charity’s recent conversation in the Woolpack. But he deserves to hear it from her.

So, she sheepishly follows him into the Café and sits and waits while he orders them both a coffee, and then joins her with a smile.

“Teeny. It’s feels like so long since we’ve had a catch up, just the two of us.”

Vanessa just smiles, he really isn’t going to like this. She swallows down her nerves, but still doesn’t speak. Frank starts to pick up on his eldest daughters’ strange behaviour.

“So, what’s new?” He asks with an idea that Vanessa clearly has something to get off of her chest.

She swallows. “Actually, there is something I need to tell you.”

She still can’t bring herself to look him in the eye, he naturally starts to worry. “There’s nothing wrong is there?”

Vanessa knows she needs to spit it out, her Dad is clearly starting to panic. “I’ve been seeing someone.”

She finally looks up, and sees a smile blooming on her Dad’s face, she needs to manage his expectations a bit better. “Well, sleeping with someone really.”

This makes Frank stutter a little, he was about to congratulate his daughter and tell her how happy he is for her, but Vanessa looks like her world’s about to end. “Okay.”

Vanessa sighs again, she can tell he’s confused, why wouldn’t he be. She decides to just spit it out. “It’s Charity.”

She see’s Frank’s face drop, she powers through. “Don’t start Dad. I know exactly what you’re going to say, she’s trouble, blah, blah, blah. Well save our breath, ‘cos I’ve already heard it all from Rhona, so I don’t need another lecture. Okay. It’s nothing serious, it’s just sex. And I know what I’m doing.”

That was a lot for Frank to take in. He digests and can see Vanessa staring at him waiting for his response. She looks, defeated. Hurt. He assumes this is Charity’s doing, but she’s being far too defensive right now to talk any sense into her, so he stays quiet.

Vanessa is surprised. “I can’t quite believe that you of all people don’t have an opinion on this Dad?”

He holds his hands up in surrender. “I don’t like it Vanessa, but like you said, you’re an adult, you know what you’re doing.” He stops before he adds. ‘old enough to make your own mistakes’.

Vanessa just nods, glad that, that’s over with. She busies herself with her coffee, Frank watches her intently. He’s worried.

XXXXXXXXXX

Frank got through a rather strained coffee date with Vanessa and has decided to try and tackle this problem head on. There is no doubt in his mind that Charity is going to hurt his daughter. Despite Vanessa’s best efforts to convince him otherwise he can see that she does in fact care about Charity, he’s not surprised, it’s in Vanessa’s nature after all.

But he’ll be damned if he lets the woman that nearly ruined his life, ruin his daughter’s life too. So, he’s headed straight over to the pub. He’s happy that the place is dead, and that Charity is behind the bar. She smirks as he enters. “Pint?”

He nods yes, and takes a seat at the bar. He sizes her up as she pours, he can’t fathom why she’s bothering with Vanessa, if not to torment him, which clearly can’t be the reason, given that it was Vanessa that told him, rather than Charity taking glee in rubbing his face in it.

Charity places the pint in front of him, and takes in the curious look he’s giving her as he hands over the money for his pint. He doesn’t speak, and she really as no desire to speak to him, so she lets the weirdness slide and heads for the till.

When she turns back around, it seems he’s finally going to get whatever it is he has on his mind off of his chest.

“I don’t get it you know?”

Charity has no idea what he’s going on about and her face must convey as much. He continues. “What Vanessa see’s in you.”

Her heart sinks, he knows about them. Frank continues to babble on. “You really must have her under your spell. But what I don’t understand, is what’s in it for you? What do you get out of it?”

Of course, he could never believe that she could actually care about his daughter, Charity sighs. Why let him down. “Something to pass the time I guess.” She shrugs, and hopes she comes across as heartless as she’s trying to.

Frank shakes his head appalled. “Leave Vanessa alone. She’s too good for you. She doesn’t need you in her life poisoning it.”

Charity feels sick, the thing is, she agrees with Frank, that last thing she wants to do it drag Vanessa down to her level, but the thought of giving up this thing between them scares her more than anything else. 

She tries her best to come across casual, she doesn’t want Frank to see what the prospect of losing Vanessa does to her. “Oh, Frank we’re both consenting adults. It’s just sex, no big deal.” She swallows down the bile that that starts to rise in her throat. Is she lying to Frank or to herself?

“As long as Vanessa is happy with our arrangement, then I don’t see what the issue is. And trust me Frank, Vanessa is very happy with it at the moment.” She winks for effect.

Frank is disgusted, he should have known better than to try and reason with her. He gives up, and takes his pint to one of the empty tables. Charity watches him leave, the smirk drops off of her face more the further he gets away. If Vanessa’s got her dad in her ear about the two of them, then whatever this is between them, isn’t going to last much longer. Maybe that’s not a bad thing. Like Frank said, she’s only going to end up hurting Vanessa anyway.

XXXXXXXXXXX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think.
> 
> Twitter: Eden_Ashley_Chr


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing.

Following her discussion with Frank, and her telling Vanessa she’d be bored of her in a few weeks, she’s not really sure where she currently stands with the stunning vet. She knows it’s mostly her own fault, but she’s 100% sure that both Rhona and Frank will be encouraging Vanessa to swerve her.

She decides that she needs to assess the situation in person. Which is why she finds herself sneaking over to Vanessa’s house. She’s been here a few times since that initial sleep over with Johnny, but not uninvited. It’s just before 8pm, so she knows there’s a chance Johnny could still be up. She can’t imagine Vanessa is going to be thrilled to see her. But as usual, she decides to chance it anyway, and knocks on the door.

The door swings open a few minutes later to reveal a tired, annoyed looking Vanessa. Charity smiles, which draws a scowl from the vet, who just walks away, but leaves the front door open so Charity takes that as an invitation to enter. She shuts the door behind her, and immediately spies that Johnny is still up, in his Jim Jams, suckling at a bottle of milk, tired. She smiles at the sight. Johnny sees his new best friend and has a burst of energy. He springs up from the couch and runs over.

“Chatty.” 

Charity grins and swoops him up into her arms. “Hello little man. What are you still doing up?”

Vanessa sighs, and Charity assumes that the little angel in her arms hasn’t been quite as angelic prior to her arrival. 

“He knows it’s past his bedtime, but he won’t settle.” Vanessa shrugs tiredly.

Charity looks from Vanessa back to Johnny, who’s eyes have already started drooping as he laid his head against the land ladies’ shoulder. Charity decides to try and take pity on Vanessa. “Are you playing up for your mummy.”

Johnny tiredly shakes his head, no. Charity continues. “Oh, you’re not are you not, does that mean it’s bedtime then?”

Johnny nods his head, yes. “Chatty read me a story?”

Vanessa starts to protest, assuming that it’s the last thing Charity will want to do. “Johnny love…”

She doesn’t get a chance to finish. “I don’t mind.” Her attention back to Johnny. “Come on then little man, lets get you to bed.”

She looks back over to Vanessa, she knows this will get her some serious brownie points, and she feels like she needs them. “Why don’t you jump in the shower, or grab a bath.”

To say Vanessa is shocked is an understatement, she doesn’t even know what Charity’s actually doing here after what happened in the pub the last time they spoke, let alone playing Mary Poppins. But a nice soak in the bath sounds like heaven at the moment, its been a long shitty day. “Will you…”

Apparently, Charity can read her mind. “I’ll still be here when you’re done.” She decides to try and lighten the mood. “You know me, any excuse to skive off from a shift.”

Vanessa smiles and nods, before placing a kiss on her son’s head and disappearing upstairs. Charity looks down at Johnny, little angel that he is, took all the focus away from how she behaved with Vanessa, and got her back in the good books with minimal effort. “Nice one Johnny bobs.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Johnny was a fast asleep about three milliseconds after Charity got him into bed. Vanessa is still soaking herself in the bath, and Charity decides to leave her be for now, she looked like she’s needs it. 

Charity found herself pottering around the kitchen, she fixes herself a glass of wine and settles down in front of the TV to wait for Vanessa. She freezes when she hears the front door swing open. She braces herself for worst case scenario, Frank. She’s pleasantly surprised to see, probably the best-case scenario staring back at her a little taken aback, Tracy.

Tracy regains her composure impressively quickly. “Charity. Making yourself at home?” She nods towards the glass of wine.

“Your sisters in the bath, just keeping myself entertained while she keeps me waiting.”

Tracy quirks an eyebrow. She tilts her head and looks as though she’s trying to work Charity out. But whatever questions she has flying around her head, she thankfully keeps them to herself. Instead just nodding as though she accepted what Charity just said, even though they both know she didn’t really.

Tracy has learned very quickly, how defensive Vanessa gets about Charity, it’s understandable really given how her Dad, Megan, and Rhona to some extent all reacted to the revelation that Vanessa was sleeping with Charity, but Tracy wishes that Vanessa would let her in a bit more, realise that she would never be as judgmental as the rest of them. 

She clearly likes Charity, otherwise taking all the crap from everyone else, wouldn’t be worth it, surely?

“I just nipped over to see if Vee fancied a glass of wine, she’s had a bit of a shitty day.”

Charity feels a little bad for coming between their sisterly bonding time. But more importantly, it was obvious to her that Vanessa had been having a bad day, and she wants to know why, more specifically she wants to know if’s it her fault. “Why is that?”

Charity busies herself pouring a second, small glass of wine, and passes it to Tracy, who much like her sister does, often; fixes her with a confused look. Charity shrugs. “You said you wanted wine, so you may as well keep me company while I wait for her.”

Tracy thinks better of arguing, and accepts the glass. Charity releases a breath as she does, and continues her line of questioning as they both relax down onto the couch. “Go on then, what’s got Vanessa in an awful mood?”

Tracy isn’t sure if she’s joking or not. So she decides to just lay it out. “Well let me see, I think it’s a toss up between my Dad finding out about you two and going Nuclear; you telling Vee that you’d be bored of her in a few weeks, meaning Dad’s reaction is probably a waste of emotions on everyone’s part, oh and my usually good as gold nephew, deciding that he’s going to turn into Damien from the Omen in the midst of it all.”

Charity flinches at the first two reasons given, and chuckles at the final one. “He just went down like an angel for me.” The words are out of Charity’s mouth before she has a chance to stop them.

Tracy can’t hold back. “I don’t get you Charity. You make out like this thing between you is nothing, just sex. Then you act like that with Johnny.”

Charity doesn’t speak, she can’t. Tracy is in no mood for stopping. “It’s obvious that you care about her, and Johnny, and its more than obvious that for some reason, they adore you.”

The oxygen in the room seems to get thinner, and Charity is struggling to breathe. This is not a conversation she should be having with Tracy. “It’s really none of your business is it?”

Tracy throws her arms up exasperated. Vanessa chooses this moment to come back downstairs, tying the belt on her dressing gown as she does, she’s feeling a lot more relaxed than she was earlier, at least she was. She takes in the scene before her as she gets to the bottom of the stairs. Tracy looks ready to kill, and Charity has a stubborn look written all over her face.

“What’s going on?”

Two sets of heads and eyes immediately snap towards her, Charity smiles at the sight of her lover, she glances over at Tracy. “Your sister was just keeping me company while I waited for you. You can go now.”

Vanessa watches with interest, as her lover and her sister stare each other out, Charity seemingly wins the battle of wills between the two women, and Tracy just ups and leaves the house without further word.

Charity braces herself for Vanessa kicking off, but the vet is exhausted, she can’t be bothered to argue. Instead she just drops down onto the couch into the space her sister just vacated, and grabs her glass that has just been discarded by Tracy.

She sighs as she takes a swig. “Another of my friends and family that you’ve managed to alienate.”

There’s no venom to Vanessa’s words, just resignation. Which is actually worse. “Come on babe, I don’t think there was ever any chance of me getting your dad on side.”

Charity’s attempt at humour fails like a lead balloon. Vanessa clearly isn’t in the mood. “What are you even doing here Charity. I thought you’d be bored of me by now.”

Charity has learnt quickly, that he best bet with Vanessa is honesty. She she bites back the jokes that are currently swirling around her brain, and sighs herself. She relieves herself of her glass of wine, and sits back into the couch, before she looks up at Vanessa. The vet watches her with interest, but the look of resignation never leaves her face, a resignation, Charity quickly realises is of this thing between them coming to an end. That isn’t what Charity wants at all, but she needs to keep it casual for her own sake, and Vanessa’s.

“I didn’t mean that.” Charity starts sheepishly. Vanessa quirks an eyebrow. “I mean how could I ever get bored of you.”

Charity smirks and so does Vanessa, both thinking briefly about the torrid sex they’ve been having. Charity doesn’t dwell, she needs to make this right.

“I want this, I want you. I want us to carry on as we are, no strings.” She sees Vanessa grimace a little at this, but she powers on anyway. “I can’t make any promises Vanessa, I just can’t. Other than what you already know?”

“Which is?”

“That while I’m sleeping with you, I promise I wont sleep with anyone else.” Charity shrugs like its no big deal, it isn’t really. As much as she’s terrified to admit it to herself, she doesn’t want anybody but Vanessa, and she hopes that’s enough for now.

Vanessa sighs, she knows that it’s the best she can hope for from Charity, but she’s still not sure she can carry on like this, knowing that she’s developing feelings for the bar maid. She quickly does the maths in her head, would she rather have Charity like this, at arm’s length, or not at all. Sadly, she knows she’s not ready to give this up yet, so she nods. “I guess that’s enough.”

Charity smiles, she ignores the way her heart jumps at Vanessa’s words. She reaches across and grabs Vanessa’s hand. “I’m sorry that you’re getting a hard time from your family.”  
“Don’t worry about, I expected it. My Dad was never going to be happy about anything going on between us after what happened between the two of you. It doesn’t matter that it’s just sex.”

Charity is surprised at the level of pain Vanessa’s word induce. She swallows it. Vanessa places her now empty wine glass on the coffee table and rises from her seat, may as well get this over with, Charity is obviously only here for one thing. Charity watches her with interest.

“You coming up then?”

Charity can tell her hearts not it in, but obviously Vanessa assumed that’s what she’s here for given their conversation. She doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry about the fact that Vanessa is apparently still willing to give her sex, despite the fact that she’s clearly exhausted.

“That’s not why I came?”

Vanessa, still not in the nest of moods. “I Thought we’d just established that, that’s the only reason you come.”

Once again, the words hurt more than Charity would ever dare to admit. She shakes her head. “I just wanted to make sure that we’re alright.”

Vanessa doesn’t speak. Charity takes that as her cue to leave. “I better get back to the pub.”

Vanessa watches as she starts to pull her jacket back on. “Or you could stay here.”

Charity knows what she’s asking, stay, not for sex, but because Vanessa needs it, needs comfort after her terrible day. Charity is torn, because she wants nothing more than to stay, but it kind of goes against everything they’ve just discussed. She watches as Vanessa watches her with a hopeful look on her face, she convinces herself, that given Vanessa’s shitty day was basically down to her, she has a duty to help Vanessa relax. That’s the only reason. So, she nods, and removes her jacket again.

Vanessa releases the breath she’d been holding. Charity sits back down on the couch, and Vanessa wastes no time in snuggling down onto her shoulder. She feels Charity’s arm sneak around her and pull her closer, and she closes her eyes, content. Charity places a kiss on top of the smaller blonde’s head, before resting her cheek in the same place. She feels warmth starting to bloom, she knows that eventually it will turn to fear, but for now she decides to enjoy the ride.

XXXXXXXXXX

After their little blip, Charity and Vanessa are back on track. Back to sneaking around, although not putting as much effort into it, given that basically everyone knows about them. Although Vanessa has taken the brunt of them becoming more public, none of her lot have even mentioned it. She assumes they haven’t noticed, which seems to be par for the course regarding Charity’s life in general.

That’s why she’s surprised when Chas joins her at the table in the back room of the pub, whiles she’s nursing her brew.

Chas blows out the air from her cheeks. “I’ve left Faith on the bar, she’s doing my head in.”

Charity laughs, the mother, daughter relationship between Chas and Faith has been known to be strained. Chas continues. “What you up to?”

“Nothing, just having a brew. Kettle’s just boiled if you fancy one.”

Chas looks at the kettle, tempted, but decides against it. Instead she looks over her cousin. “You look tired.”

“Oh cheers.”

Chas smirks. “You sleeping alright?”

“Like a baby thanks.” Charity isn’t sure where Chas is going with this.

“Hmmm, that’s interesting. Because there’s been some strange noises coming from your bedroom just recently.”

Charity almost chokes on her tea. “Well, maybe I’ve been having some nightmares.”

Chas smirks. “What you mean you don’t remember?”

“Who remembers their dreams Chas. Is this going somewhere?”

Chas chuckles. “I thought the noises might have something to do with Vanessa.”

Busted. “How did you know?” 

Charity sheepishly waits for Chas to get it out of her system. Chas hasn’t stopped sniggering. “I’ve seen her sneaking to the bathroom, or sneaking out in the mornings on more than one occasion recently.”

Chas continues. “It’s not like you to keep going back to the same person.”

Charity frowns, that isn’t really fair. She just shrugs by way of a response.

“That first time happened months ago, has it been going on since then?” Chas enquires.

“Not all of the time, no. We started things back up a couple of months ago.”

“And you’ve been seeing each other since?” Chas seems genuinely surprised.

“It’s just sex Chas.” Charity can hear the defensiveness in her own voice.

“It must be good.”

Charity smirks and wiggles her eyebrows. “It is.”

Chas smiles, but it doesn’t last. “She’s not your usual type.”

“Why, because she’s a woman?”

“No, not at all. Because she’s nice, normal, decent, but mainly because there doesn’t seem to be any ulterior motive at all to you sleeping with her.”

There it is. Charity sighs, of course her own family would assume the same as Vanessa’s. “There isn’t.”

Chas can see that her cousin is genuine. “Well good for you. It’s about time you were with someone because you want to be.”

Charity looks at Chas like she’s grown a second head. Chas just smiles again. “Tell her she doesn’t have to sneak around in the dead of night anymore, she’ll give someone a heart attack.”

Charity smiles and nods. The look of dare she say pride on Chas’ face makes her speak again. “But don’t get used to it, it’s just sex Chas, it won’t last for ever.”

Chas rolls her eyes, before she rises and makes her way back into the bar.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity finds herself meandering into the bar herself a couple of hours later, she freezes as she sees Vanessa, Frank and Tracy sitting in one of the booths, Frank scowls at her as soon as he sees her. She looks away. Vanessa follows her dad’s glare, and sees that Charity has entered the bar, she sighs at her dad’s behaviour.

“Dad, I told you to give it a rest about me and Charity.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

To Vanessa’s surprise, its Tracy that jumps in. “You didn’t need to, it’s written all over your face.”

Vanessa recovers. “Exactly. Dad I’ve told you a million times, me and Charity is nothing serious and nothing for you to worry about.”

He doesn’t look convinced.

“Charity’s actually alright once you get to know her a bit.” Tracy stuns her sister again. This time Tracy giggles at the level of shock on her sister’s face. “I thought you would know that better than anyone Vee.”

“Well I do, I just didn’t realise you’d noticed.”

Frank butts in again. “Well I know better than most, that you need to be weary of her. She’s trouble Teeny.”

Vanessa rolls her eyes. “Dad, you and Charity was 100 years ago, just forget about it. She’s isn’t going to hurt me.”

“You don’t know that Vanessa.” Frank is adamant, he hates that Charity has got her claws into his eldest daughter. 

“I do Dad. Because its not that type of thing, no one is going to get hurt.”

Frank isn’t convinced, and Tracy definitely isn’t. But neither of them speaks, concentrating back on their meals. 

Once they finished their dinner, Frank and Tracy made their excuses and left. Vanessa heads up to the bar, and now its safe to do so, Charity smiles at her and wanders over. 

“Hey.”

“Hi, I just wanted to say sorry about my dad.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s to be expected really.”

“What time you working till?” Vanessa enquires.

Charity smirks. “Should be done around 9pm.”

“Well if you’re at a loose end, you can pop over.” Vanessa wiggles her eyebrows, making Charity laugh.

“Ross has got Moses, so that is a definitive possibility.”

“I’ll maybe see you later then.” Charity nods, and watches as Vanessa leaves the bar. She turns around and is met by a smirking Chas. 

Charity rolls her eyes. “It’s just sex Chas.”

“Tell your face.” Chas chuckles.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity heads over to Vanessa’s at around 9.30pm, she’s freezing and hungry. She lets herself in through the unlocked front door and smiles at Vanessa snuggled on the sofa wrapped in her dressing gown with a brew. Vanessa gives her that warm smile, that she seems to reserve for her only these days. Charity feels that familiar combination of happiness and fear start to rise inside of her at the thought.

She swallows it, and shrugs off her coat. Vanessa jumps up and greets her with a kiss, Charity readily accepts it, and ignores how overly familiar it is for two people who claim that this thing between them is just sex.

“Do you want a brew?” Vanessa gestures at her own drink.

Charity nods. “Ooooh yes babe, I’m parched.”

Vanessa busies herself with sorting Charity a mug. “Have you come straight from work? Are you hungry?”

Charity pauses, she has come straight from work, and she’s starving, but she’s not used to anyone taking care of her. “Now you mention it, I’m starving.”

Vanessa smiles again, handing over the piping hot brew. “Go and sit.” The vet pushes her towards the couch.

“My culinary skills aren’t great after about 7.30pm, but I can make you a sandwich, or some toast?”

Charity relaxes into the couch. “Just some toast will be fine babe.”

Vanessa throws a couple of pieces of bread into the toaster. “Jam?”

Charity smiles, Vanessa always goes the extra mile. She shakes her head no, and watches as the smaller woman pottering around her kitchen making Charity toast. It’s all very domesticated.

Vanessa hands the plate to Charity and then joins her on the couch, she feels a bit self-conscious about the look she’s currently getting from the bar maid. Charity takes the plate, and places it on the coffee table, before pulling a slightly stunned Vanessa into a searing kiss. It only takes her a second to realise what’s going on, before he starts to return the kiss.

Vanessa pulls back. “I thought you were hungry?”

Charity smiles and wiggles her eyebrows. “I am babe.” Before diving back onto Vanessa’s lips. Its not long before her hands dive under the dressing gown, and Vanessa is pulling her off the couch and up to her room.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity had just had a semi-non-awkward chat with Tracy in the shop whilst picking up a pint of milk from home. Seems Vanessa’s younger sister is the only member of the vet’s family who doesn’t think Charity is the devil incarnate, which is nice she supposes.

She’s just crossing the road to head back into the relative safety of the pub when she’s met by Rhona. Great, another of Vanessa’s support system, who she guesses probably isn’t her biggest fan.

“You alright Charity?” This is new.

Charity eyes her suspiciously. “Yes thanks.” She makes no effort to return the enquiry, why would she?

Rhona, it seems is going to prolong this awkward meeting. “How’s it going?”

Charity narrows her eyes. “How’s. It. Going?”

Rhona can see Charity isn’t going to make this easy for her. “Yeah you know, life?”

“Why?” Charity, blunt as ever.

Rhona sighs. “Well, y’know, you and Vanessa…”

“Me and Vanessa what?” Charity really isn’t enjoying this.

It seems neither is Rhona. “You know what Charity, forget it. I don’t know why I even bothered.”

“No come on, why did you bother?”

Rhona sighs again, and turns back to face Charity. “I told her; you were trouble. The sooner she comes to her senses the better.”

“Where do you get off telling anyone that I’m trouble?”

This surprises Rhona, and as she thinks about it, she knows she doesn’t really have a personal foundation for that view, its just based on hearsay. But she’s started this, so she needs to finish it. She knows its pathetic, but she commits. “Well all that business with Frank for starters.”

Charity laughs. “Frank. Yeah fine, blackmailing him, I’ll take the responsibility for that. But that’s not what this is about is it? Because I’m not blackmailing Ness, I’m sleeping with her, so this is about the sex.”

Rhona can’t speak, which is fine as Charity continues. “Well guess what, there was only one person in the wrong when it came to the sex; and that was Frank. I was the single party. I didn’t force him.”

She’s really on a roll now. “Me and Vanessa, it’s just sex. Good consensual sex between two consenting adults. I’m not forcing her either, and for as long as she wants to continue, we will. Any of the other stuff, the stuff that you think makes me trouble, isn’t relevant okay?”

Rhona holds her hands up in mock surrender, and leaves sheepishly and quickly. Charity knows she’s overreacted, and she knows why. She doesn’t believe this thing between her and Vanessa is just sex, any more than Rhona does, or Chas does, or Tracy does. What about Vanessa? Charity starts to panic. Maybe it would be for the best to just end things.

XXXXXXXXXX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, let me know what you think.
> 
> Twitter: @Eden_Ashley_Chr
> 
> Skills auction etc next chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing.

Charity and Vanessa have fallen into a relationship of sorts. Dating without the dates. They are still enjoying spending time with each other, at the pub and Tug Ghyll. But now people know about them, Vanessa can talk to Tracy or Rhona, and Charity finds herself regularly rolling her eyes at sly comments made by Chas. But Charity finds herself being less secretive these days, she knows people know and it’s fine, as long as they also know that it’s just a bit of fun. Charity is finding it hard to convince herself of that statement’s validity right now, so she can certainly do without anyone else questioning it.

Their more public status these days means that Charity finds herself nursing a brew, leant over the bar listening into the conversation, Vanessa, Marlon, Paddy and Rhona are having about the upcoming skills auction, being held in the pub tomorrow to raise funds for Leo’s teaching assistant at school.

Vanessa is wedged into one of the booths, next to Paddy, with Rhona opposite. Each discussing what skills they’re going to offer up for auction. It seems the inquisition is about to turn to her.

Paddy is giggling as he starts to speak. “So, go on then, what you offering up for the skills auction?”

Charity from her perch at the bar suddenly becomes more interested in the conversation, and of course can help but throw in some innuendo. “Hmmm what delights you going to tempt us with Vanessa?”

Marlon continues the teasing tone. “You’ll have to tell us eventually we have ways, and means. Hmmmm?”

Vanessa knows there’s no way she’s going to come out of this without being teased mercilessly. She takes a breath and looks down at the table and waits for the inevitable. “knitting.”

As expected, Marlon and Paddy laugh. Loudly. Of course, Charity and Rhona also giggle along.

Charity is the first to speak. “Wow. I did not see that one coming”

Vanessa is on the defensive immediately. “Yes, I am gonna teach people basic knitting skills. Got a problem with that?”

Marlon has decided that this is the funniest thing he’s ever heard. “How old are you? 70?”

Paddy has a more practical thought “I have never seen you knit.”

Vanessa explains exasperatedly. “I know well I do it in private so you two idiots don’t take the mick.”

Paddy, now on board with Marlon in thinking this is absolutely hilarious, starts to laugh again. “Sorry. No knitting’s good, my granny used to do it…In the 1920’s”

The men start to really belly laugh know, Paddy proud of himself for his joke.

Marlon decides to continue to poke at Vanessa. “And then there’s Pearl. I mean, I think she’s into it.”

Vanessa rolls her eyes, but makes a sheepish confession. “Pearl’s the one who taught me actually. Got the patience of a saint.”

Paddy can’t help his quick wit, and fires out. “Knit one, Pearl one.” 

Obviously, this once again causes both men to erupt into whooping sounds, more than a little pleased with their comedy double act. They share a high five, Vanessa rolls her eyes for the umpteenth time today, her thought’s drifting to the chuckle brothers, she assumes they’re picturing themselves more as Fry and Laurie or French and Saunders. 

Charity decides, as she finds herself doing more and more recently, to help Vanessa out. “Actually, to be fair, it’s supposed to be bang on trend right now. How many hidden talents can one girl have hey?”

Charity wiggles her eyebrows, and is happy at the wide smile that appears on Vanessa’s face, her work here is done. With that she saunters away. Vanessa loves it when Charity sticks up for her like that, she’s completely enraptured by the land lady, and can’t takes her eyes off of her as she strides out the through to the back of bar. She almost misses that Rhona starts speaking again.

Rhona sighs, she’s looking at today’s local newspaper. “You know I think we should cancel it. The auction. Well postpone it, not cancel it. It’s just it’s Chrissie and Laurence’s obituary’s” she holds the newspaper up for everyone else to glance at. “Funeral’s tomorrow. Can’t just plough on while Lachlan’s burying his family.”

Paddy now completely sobered from his previous clown like state speaks first. “Aw yeah. I never thought of that.”

“Yeah I suppose it might seem a bit disrespectful.” Marlon adds.

Rhona sighs and folds the newspaper back over. “Its for the best isn’t it? We’ll get the money, there’s plenty of time.”

Rhona’s head drops, and Paddy, Marlon and Vanessa all share concerned looks, they know how much Rhona’s wants this for Leo.

XXXXXXXXXX

It the next day, the Charity auction is still going ahead, and it’s all hands-on deck in the Woolpack trying to get everything sorted.

Chas, slams a bidding paddle and looks over to Paddy smirking. “Oh, I’d bet you do some damage with one of these.” 

Marlon states calmly. “Now be afraid, be very afraid”

Rhona, still not completely on board with Chas, thanks to her newly announced relationship with the man she loves, doesn’t appreciate the sexual innuendo, and rather shortly addresses Chas. “But still you could be really useful and hand them out thanks.” She can blame it on the stress of the auction.

Paddy spies Marlon looking at Jessie like a love sick puppy, he approaches his best friend, and rubs his shoulder. “Sometimes a man just has to let go.”

“I know.” Marlon is resigned.

Rhona spies Diane entering the pub, she is alarmed when she notes that Doug isn’t with her, lets face it he’s probably the most useful man in the village, and as such a prized auction lot. She runs over to Diane. “Hey, where’s Doug?”

Diane attempted to ease some of Rhona’s worry. “He’s on his way.”

The relief visibly pours out of the vet. “Aw he better get here soon.”

Charity is working, just her luck. Chas is out there playing with Paddy, yuck, and she’s stuck behind the bar. It’s rammed thanks to the auction. She’s pouring a pint, but notes, Rishi, Megan and Frank at the bar. She knows it’s good, the local community coming out in support and blah, blah, blah, but she is genuinely curious. “Haven’t you lot got jobs to go?”

Megan, obviously can’t help a little dig. “We are supporting our local school, you going to be putting your hand in your pocket?”

Charity glances across at Vanessa, who’s over by the podium, looking cute in that bloody blue and white stripy jumper. “Urm, yeah if I see something worth bidding on.”

Rishi’s attention is taken by Jessie at the bar. “I hear you’re offering a free tuition?”

Jessie a little perplexed, decides to make exactly what she is offering clear. “For children, yeah.”

If she thinks that is going to put Rishi off, she is sadly mistaken. “I have children.”

Jessie just rolls her eyes.

Pete having been summoned, wanders over to speak to Rhona at the Podium. He’s not really sure about this. “Rhona, look I don’t know what you reckon I can offer.”

Rhona tries to cajole a bit of information, and willing out of the younger man. “Um, well whats your area of expertise?”

Pete thinks for a second, but he really only knows one thing. “I know how to muck out cows.”

“Well surely you have other talents?” Rhona realises exactly how that sounds a millisecond after it leaves her mouth, so she quickly adds. “Um, any good a putting up shelves?”

Pete, hates any kind of DIY to be completely honest, but he know’s it’s for a good cause, so he sighs and begrudgingly confirms. “Well if I have to.”

Rhona ignores the lack of enthusiasm, and jumps on his admission immediately. “Well there you go. General handyman.”

Pete feels like she overselling it a bit. “Look, odd jobs.”

Rhona needs him, she isn’t beneath begging. “Aw, please Pete. Doug’s not turned up yet and Bernice has cancelled on me, I am desperate.”

He takes pity on her and nods as he walks away. Rhona watches him as he leaves. At least she has one prize that might start a bit of a bidding war and raise some much-needed cash.

Vanessa takes a break from assisting Rhona. She loves her best friend to bits, but she is no fun when she’s this stressed. Vanessa is delighted when Charity spots her and saunters across to speak to her at the bar.

Vanessa can’t help but flirt with Charity across the bar, apparently that’s who she is now. “I hope you’ve brought your piggy bank, with my knitting skills there’s bound to be a bidding war.”

Charity smirks, she has every intention of bidding on Vanessa, even if it just means them getting a bit of peace and quiet for thirty minutes. Plus, she knows as the bidder she’d be completely in charge, and that sends a thrill coursing through her. She decides to tease her lover a little first though. “Well, I’m not really a wooly jumper kind of girl babe.”

Vanessa smiles, she knows exactly what Charity wants to hear. “Well in that case, I’ll have to think of some other service to offer you.”

Charity grins glad that they’re both on the same page.

Rhona looks up to see her best friend draped across the bar fluttering her eyelashes at Charity. She can’t believe it; doesn’t she realise how much they still have to do. Annoyed, Rhona shouts over. “Ness. Can you put your girlfriend down, and come and help us get ready please? Thanks.”

Charity’s face drops, the G word terrifies her. She knows they’ve been more public recently, but people don’t actually think they’re girlfriends, do they? Does Vanessa think that? She doesn’t exactly correct Rhona.

Charity starts to panic, she knows she’s started having feelings that she probably shouldn’t have for the vet, but shes always made it clear to Vanessa that this isn’t serious, it can’t be. The more she’s gotten to know Vanessa, the more shes realised that she absolutely can’t get seriously involved with her, she can’t bear the thought of dragging the vet down to her level, so getting her mixed up in the shitstorm that Charity calls life is not an option. 

But she knows in her heart that she can’t let Vanessa go, not fully. So, she decides that she needs to make it abundantly clear to Vanessa, again, that this is just a bit of no strings attached fun.

She watches as Ness smiles at her and offers a quick ‘seeya’, before skipping back over to Rhona.

Charity is already mortified about what she’s planning to do, but she knows its for the best in the long run.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity’s mood as not been improved by Joe flipping Tate, trying to get his claws into Noah. Over her dead body. It’s just reaffirmed the fact that she absolutely cannot drag Vanessa into her actual real life. She needs to keep the stunning vet as what she is now, a distraction from reality. Something good that hasn’t been tainted by Dingle drama. The first step of her action plan, is to not bid on Ness at the auction. She knows Vanessa won’t be happy, but it needs to be done.

She watches on as Rhona tries to up the bidding. “I have a bid of eighty pounds, is anyone prepared to go any higher?”

Vanessa looks at Charity pleading with her to bid, Rishi is currently winning. Charity can’t bear to see the look on her face so she immediately turns to the till. Any more of those puppy dog baby blues and she knows she’d relent.

Rhona desperately scans the room for any other bidder, she would even take a 50p increase for her best friend at this point. Nothing. “Okay, all done, at eighty pounds then. 

Going once, going twice…” she stoops he her head and whispers “Sorry.” To Ness who’s heart sinks. “Sold to Rishi.”

Rishi looks delighted, he actually celebrates his win. “Yes.”

Vanessa is horrified and can’t help but fix Charity with a disappointed stare. Charity, hates it, but she can’t let Ness know that, so she just shrugs it off like it’s nothing.

XXXXXXXXXX

The auction continues, and Vanessa hasn’t been able to bring herself to speak to Charity yet, so she’s stayed up by the Podium with Rhona. Paddy’s up next, he has taken great delight in the fact that Charity didn’t save her from Rishi, so she’s currently hoping he gets bid on by someone awful.

Rhona introduces Paddy as the next lot. “Next up, pet pedicures from the finest vet in Yorkshire.”

Paddy smiles smugly and makes his way up to the front. Carrying on his teasing from earlier, he can’t help but throw a bit more fuel on the fire as he passes Ness. “Listen and weep.” Vanessa scowls at him.

Rhona decides to start low. “Who’s going to start me off with £5? Anyone?”

Silence. Utter silence. Vanessa is delighted until Diane decides to bids. In what can only be considered a pity bid.

Rhona can see this is not going to be her biggest windfall of the day. “Oh.”

Paddy is starting to panic a little now. “Where’s Chas?”

Vanessa smiles smugly. “Huh, she was here a minute ago.”

Rhona tries the hard sell. “Do I hear £10? Come on everyone. Look at this fine figure of a man, he’s, he’s hardworking, he’s trustworthy, he’s charming. He’s worth a tenner, surely?”

It’s not working, she’s met by silence. Rhona leans down to Vanessa. “One of you is going to have to bid.”

Absolutely not is Vanessa’s main thought.

Charity has been watching the events unfold from behind the bar highly amused. She clocks Chas coming through from the back. “Hey, lover boys up.”

It takes Chas a second to realise what’s going on, but as soon as she does, she’s straight in there. “Huh? Oh, er, £20.00.”

The relief actually pours from Paddy. “Thank you.” This is aimed at Chas; he then turns to Rhona. “Bang your thing.”

Rhona is understandably confused. “huh?”

Paddy just repeats what he said previously. “Bang your thing.”

Rhona catches on what he means this time, and bangs her gavel down. “Sold. To the lady behind the bar.”

Charity frowns at how excited Chas is, and Paddy makes his way over to his girlfriend.

Vanessa, who hadn’t missed Rhona’s hard sell of her ex-husband, leans over her best friends’ shoulder. When Rhona fixes her with a confused stare, the blond vet clears her throat. “You know what.”

Rhona does know, and she also knows that Vanessa won’t drop it. “Paddy and I are just friends.”

Vanessa glances down at the list in Rhona’s hand. “Prove it. Pete’s up next.” With that the diminutive blonde grabs the gavel and takes over the auction.

Vanessa does her own hard sell. “Our next lot ladies and gentlemen, is a fit young farmer, handy around the house, no job too small. Who will start the bidding?”

She makes a point of handing her bidding paddle to Rhona.

Jessie throws up her paddle, and Vanessa gets into auction mode. “Right, we’ve got £80.00.”

Jessie decides to answer a few of the knowing stares that she can see around her. “What, the school drains need unblocking.”

Charity decides that this is an excellent way to remind Vanessa that they aren’t in a relationship, and as such are not technically exclusive. “Excuse me, he can unblock my drains any day of the week.” She lifts her paddle and winks.

Vanessa by now knows something has gotten to her lover, so she decides to take that overt inuendo it in her stride. “£85.00.” 

Rhona knows that Vanessa would not have liked that, especially given that pretty much everyone in the pub right now knows about her and Charity. She feels a bit uncomfortable, what on earth is Charity playing at. She glances at her best friend to make sure she’s alright.

Jessie throws the paddle up again.

Vanessa can’t lie to herself, she’s relieved “Ninety.”

Megan decides to get in on the act and throws he paddle up.

Vanessa continues her duty as auctioneer. “Ninety-five.”

Charity, who never had any intention of upping her initial bid, lets face it, her point has been made. She is however amused at the bidding war between Jessie and Megan, frothing at the mouth over a young fit lad. Ball is in Jessie court now, Charity wonders if she’s going to make herself look even more desperate. She chuckles as Jessie throws her paddle up again.

Vanessa confirms the bid, and it seems to be a bit too rich for Megan’s liking who graciously relents. “One hundred. Okay, are we all done at one hundred pounds? Going once…”  
Rhona glances at the bar, and is met by the vision of Paddy and Chas all over each other. She decides that maybe Ness is right, maybe she needs to move on. Not with Pete necessarily, but she needs to do something to get out of this rut.

Vanessa continues unbeknownst to her best friends’ inner turmoil “…Going twice…”

Rhona decides to bite the bullet. “£125 quid.” She slams the gavel down in Ness’ hand and quickly follows up by shouting. “Sold.”

Pete smiles. “Blimey, you’re keen.”

Vanessa eyes her best friend curiously. “Isn’t she just.”

Rhona is now a little embarrassed about how that actually played out. “Sorry, I don’t know why I did that.”

Pete decides not to dwell on it too much. “Listen, no sweat. So er, so what do you need doing?”

Rhona still highly embarrassed. “Oh, I don’t know, look lets just forget it yeah.”

Pete can’t allow her to spend all that money on him and not give her anything in return. “Look, I’ll tell you what, it’s for a good cause, so if you don’t need any jobs doing, how about I take you for a drink later?”

Rhona smiles. “Yeah, why not.”

Vanessa watches the whole exchange rather smugly.

Chas pipes in from the cheap seats. “Hey Rhona, Uh. Didn’t see that coming. You and Pete.”

Rhona decides to explain herself. “Just adding to the coffers Chas.” Obviously.

Chas smirks, she knows Rhona doesn’t like her right now for some bizarre reason, so she decides to push her luck. “Right, right yeah. Just the fact that he’s mega fit, that just a coincidence is it?”

Paddy berates his girlfriend. “Stop teasing her. Her and Pete, what sort of match is that.” Chas giggles, it is rather ridiculous. Rhona is not impressed.

Vanessa knows there’s something wrong with Charity, but also knows that she has a tendency to be paranoid when it comes to the stunning barmaid, so she decides to give it one more go. To see if she actually is the problem, like she thinks she is. She makes her way over to the bar close to Charity and leans over, Charity leans forward from the other side. A good sign Vanessa assumes.

With a bit more confidence in her than there was a few minutes ago, Vanessa decides to be a little more playful that originally intended. “I thought you were going to snap me up?”

Charity doesn’t really know how to play this, she thought Vanessa had got the message and as such would be fuming. “I hope you and Rishi will be very happy together.”

Vanessa just says the first ting that comes into her head, she doesn’t really think about how it sounds. “I’d rather be happy with you.”

Charity is appalled, Vanessa clearly hasn’t gotten the message. “What like, girlfriend and girlfriend?”

Vanessa is taken aback, that’s the last thing that she was expecting. “What?”

Charity is in full panic stations now, and has no problem letting Vanessa know exactly what she’s talking about. “Well that’s what Rhona seems to think we are.”

It takes Vanessa a second to remember just what Charity is talking about. The penny drops, she knows exactly whats put the frighteners on Charity. It’s a massive overreaction on the bar maids’ part, Rhona was clearly joking with her mindless quip earlier. She tries to let Charity know that it was just a joke, she knows how weird she gets about any form of commitment. “Well, she’s wrong. Me and you we’re just…”

Charity jumps in, not giving Vanessa a chance to describe what they are, in case it falls outside of the parameters that she set in her head. “What? Two single women who like each other?”

Vanessa agrees. “Exactly.”

Charity knows that she’s overreacted, but if it keeps her and Vanessa on the right side of causal then she doesn’t really care. “Right, then where’s the problem?”

Charity can’t face Vanessa’s reaction, she knows shes hurt her. Vanessa is a little hurt to be fair, but mostly confused. She can’t understand that level of reaction to Rhona’s throw away remark. What is 100% clear though, her and Charity are never going to be more than just a bit of fun. With that in mind, maybe it would be better for them both if she just let’s Charity ruin this, and they stop altogether. She’s already getting hurt by the land lady, if she falls for her anymore, and then they stop she’ll be devastated.

XXXXXXXX

Vanessa had stayed in the pub, and helped clear everything away after the auction. She had been very careful to stay away from Charity. She’s currently enjoying a well-deserved drink with Diane. Rhona arrives back at the Woolpack; she had gone home at Vanessa’s insistence to get ready for her drink with Pete.

Vanessa can tell Rhona has made an effort. “Woo, check you out.”

Her best friend is immediately on the defensive. “Well I had to freshen up a bit. Do I look like I’m trying to hard?”

Vanessa quickly tries to reassure her best friend. “Of course not. I just meant; you always look nice.”

Rhona smiles, she’s nervous. “Ok, no. Now I know that you’re lying. Cos I normally only wear clothes that don’t show up poo.”

Vanessa tries to lighten the mood. “Oh relax, please. You look perfectly presentable for a non-date drink with sexy Pete.”

It has the desired effect, Rhona smiles as does Vanessa.

Charity comes back into the main bar from the back. She met by Ross. “Wow, where you going with that face? Ratting?”

Charity is having a rather rubbish day, between Joe Tate and sabotaging her relationship, or whatever it actually is with Vanessa. She’s hardly likely to discuss her Vanessa induced turmoil with Ross though. “Shut up will you, I’m not in the mood. Noah’s asking if he can go up to Home Farm. He’s fallen for Joe’s, I’m your cool big brother act.”

Ross can understand why Charity would be best pleased with that. “Oh.”

Charity barely registers that he’s spoken at all, and continues to think out loud. “Hmm. You know Chris used to do this, used to just think he could pick people up and play with them.”

Ross questions her further. “What did you say?”

Charity can’t believe her ears, what on earth does he think she said. “Oh yeah, I told him no problem. I offered to take him up there myself. Bob in for a coffee, catch up on old times.”

Ross should have known that sarcastic response was coming. He tries to get Charity to see things from a different angle, from Noah’s angle. “Well, he is his brother. You can’t blame him for wondering.”

Charity is incensed. “He’s already got a brother; he doesn’t need another one. It’s, it’s just greedy.”

He tries to make her see things from another angle. “Only the more you say no, the more he’ll kick back. Maybe you should let him figure the bloke out for himself. Don’t let Joe paint you as the baddy.”

Charity can’t believe her ears. “Sorry, are you actually for real?”

Ross wants nothing more than to take Joe Tate down. “This might be a chink in his armour.”

Charity knows he right, but theres no way shes risking another one of her kids being brainwashed and screwed over by that pompous idiot. “I don’t care. He’s already messed up Debbie’s head, I’m not having him do the same to Noah. And this conversation is over.”

Charity walks away. What a shit day this is turning out to be. She hates that the one thing she thinks about that she knows will bring her comfort, is laying in Vanessa’s arms later. No chance that’s happening today, or ever again the rate she’s going at.

XXXXXXXXXX

Vanessa sways back into the main bar from the toilets, she glances at Charity who is still behind the bar. She still can’t believe all this was caused by Rhona’s stupid comment. Charity panics when Vanessa looks over, so she latches onto Daz as soon as he comes to the bar.

“Hey.” She starts to stroke his arm across the bar. “Daz, how you doing?”

Daz looks confused. Charity internally cringes a little, its not lost on her that Daz was the pleb that Vanessa chose to try and convince everyone that she wasn’t gay, and now here’s Charity using the same man, to prove that she and Vanessa are nothing. It’s also not lost on her that Vanessa was lying to herself back then.

Charity ploughs on regardless. “Guess you’ll be wanting me to er fill your glass…” 

Chas approaches from behind as Charity continues with her own strange brand of obvious flirtation.

“Top you up. Only I’m the woman who can sort you out.” She follows it up with her best smile.

Daz is still highly confused. “If you mean ‘do I want a pint’? Yes please,”

Charity takes his glass smiling. “Coming up.”

Chas can’t quite believe her eyes. “What are you doing? You’re acting all maniac-y.”

Charity isn’t interested she just needs to know. “Is Vanessa watching?”

Chas glances over to where Vanessa is now sitting, truth is Vanessa is watching. Watching Charity make an absolute tit of herself in front of the whole pub. She decides there and then, that if Charity is willing to humiliate herself, humiliate them like this, to make sure she knows that there is no chance of a future for them, then her wish is granted. Next time Charity texts or calls to summon Vanessa to her bed, the answer will be a firm no. This is over. She feels a little sad at the thought, but she knows shell get over it.

Chas answers her cousins’ question. “Ah, yes she is, and so is half the pub. Not surprisingly.”

Charity doesn’t know if she’s trying to convince Chas or herself. “Don’t you think it’s a bit pathetic what she’s doing, all puppy dog and stuff. She’s been watching me all afternoon yeah, like some crazy hard stalker.”

Chas thinks about responding, but decides against. Charity is a complete idiot if she’s on self-destruct mode to try and ruin whatever it is that’s between her and Vanessa. Charity has been the most serene she’s ever seen her recently, which is saying something given the level of drama currently going on in their lives. But she knows Charity cannot be reasoned with, so she leaves it.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Vanessa and Diane have been joined by Paddy at their table now. Rhona arrives back at the pub following her drinks with Pete.

Vanessa excitedly rises up to greet her friend immediately “Ooooh, how was the drink with Pete?” Now her own love life is in the bin, she may as well live vicariously through Rhona’s.

Rhona is a little bit embarrassed. “Er, yeah, he didn’t actually turn up.”

Vanessa is mortified for her best fried, however the silence is broken by an unexpected source, Diane. “I suppose that’s what happens when you mix fantasy and reality.”

Everyone whips around and looks at Diane, who seems genuinely perplexed. “Oh, I’m sorry, did I say that out loud?”

Well it broke the tension at least, and Rhona finds herself laughing. “Yes, you did.”

Paddy it seems really isn’t happy with this turn of events. “Excuse me, did you just say Pete stood you up?”

Rhona tries her best to play it down. “It’s fine okay, it’s no big deal. It’s like I said, it wasn’t even a proper date.”

Charity approaches the group interested in what is actually going on. 

Paddy is still fuming. “He can’t do that. He can’t let you down, not when you’ve got all…” gestures to his front. “Y’know.”

Rhona knows he referring to her getting dressed up, which to be honest just makes her feel a million times worse. “Please can we just drop it?”

Vanessa tries her best to cheer Rhona up. “Still, shame to waste your efforts sitting around here. Maybe we should go into town?”

Charity decides this is another brilliant opportunity that can’t be missed, just in case Vanessa hasn’t fully gotten the message yet. “Excuse me. Who’s wasting anything? There are plenty of decent people around here too you know.”

Rhona takes in Charity’s stance. “I’m sorry, are you…” She turns to Vanessa for guidance, clearly something is going on here, but she isn’t sure what. “…is she actually trying to flirt with me.”

Vanessa, having had her earlier decision that its definitely over between her and Charity, reconfirmed decides not to hold back. “Probably yeah, she’s been slavering over everyone else. Pathetic isn’t it.”

Charity, sucks in a large breath. “Sounding a little bit insecure there Vee.”

Again, Vanessa is past caring, she isn’t going to give Charity what she wants anymore. “Yeah? Well back at you Charity. You know for someone who insisted that we were no strings, you’ve practically bust a gut trying to get a rise out of me.” 

Charity is crestfallen, Vanessa obviously knows what she’s been up to all day. She’s really ruined this now hasn’t she. She watches as Vanessa, who has clearly had enough of her crap, turns to Rhona. “Come on.” 

Rhona has an awkward smile on her face but follows.

XXXXXXXXX

Not long after that Vanessa and Rhona decided to get a bottle of wine, and head back to Rhona’s clearly, they both have a lot to catch up on.

Charity had watched them leave from her perch behind the bar. Worried. She’s heard the rumours about the two of them, everyone in the village has. She’s terrified that her behaviour and Pete standing Rhona up could push them back together. She feels sick at the thought.

She watches the door close behind them and almost turns to follow. Instead she’s met by the accusing face of Chas, she shaking her head. “Idiot”.

Charity stops in her tracks at that, she grabs her own bottle of wine, and trudges through to the back room, ready to convince herself that she doesn’t need Vanessa, and the blond can do whatever she wants.

Over at Rhona’s the first glasses of wine have been poured and the best friends are snuggled down on opposite ends of the couch. Rhona has changed into her PJ’s.  
“So, what’s going on with you and Charity then?”

Vanessa frowns, she didn’t really want to discuss it, hoping they’d focus on Pete, and Paddy and Chas for that matter. But she knows Rhona won’t drop it, so she may as well get it over with.

“Nothing I shouldn’t have expected.” She sighs. “She saw her arse over you referring to her as my girlfriend earlier, and then spent the rest of the day, making it clear that she absolutely is not my girlfriend.” She shrugs, it is what it is.

Rhona feels terrible. “Oh, Ness I’m so sorry. Me and my big mouth.”

Vanessa shakes her head. “Don’t worry about it, you’ve done me a favour really.”

Rhona looks confused so Vanessa explains further. “Today has just made it clear that me and Charity is going nowhere. I thought I was okay with it, but the fact is, I’m 41 years old, a relationship that isn’t going anywhere isn’t great for someone my age.”

“So, it’s over then?”

Vanessa swallows down the pain she feels at Rhona’s statement. But is has to be, doesn’t it? “Yes, as far as I’m concerned it is. Anyway, enough about me. You and Pete.”

Rhona lets her friend drop it, because she can see her eyes glistening with tears, and she doesn’t want them to spill over. 

Rhona sighs. “Just seeing Paddy and Chas together, all over each other, all day. You were right it was getting to me.”

Vanessa reaches over and strokes her hand as a show of comfort. Rhona continues. “I don’t know why I thought a drink with Pete was the answer mind you.”

Rhona laughs and Vanessa joins her. What a pair they are.

XXXXXXXXXX

The following morning Vanessa strides into the café and catches Pete and Ross standing by the till. She decides to get to the bottom of what actually happened last night. She knows Rhona was upset, and that really that was about Paddy, not Pete. But she also knows that Pete is a nice guy, so can’t understand why he wouldn’t show up.

She’s heads straight over to Pete. “Ah ha. Just the man.”

It’s Ross that speaks first. “She’s got one of those faces on her kid, you’re in for it.”

Vanessa momentarily turns to Ross. “Aw shut up you.”

Ross continues the banter. “Hmm feisty.”

Vanessa quips back. “So, I’ve been told.”

Ross can’t help a little dig. “By Charity? She says that to everyone love. You’re nowt special.”

Vanessa having been up half of the night thinking about her and Charity, and ultimately deciding that it is definitely really over, doesn’t let Ross’ words affect her. “Should we form a support group?”

Ross is impressed “Hmm. I’m game if you are.”

Pete is a little exasperated by the power play, which is almost bordering on flirting between his brother and Vanessa. “Look, Im sorry to break this up, but, what do you want?”

Vanessa upon realising that she’s been side tracked, turns back to Pete. “Er yes, I’m supposed to be telling him off.”

Pete has a fair idea of what Vanessa is after him for. “Ah, Is this about Rhona? Look, I feel asleep.”

Ross laughs. “Ah, you grandad.”

Vanessa can’t believe he feel asleep. “She paid £125.00 quid for you.”

Ross ever helpful with a witty remark. “I always thought she was a bit dopey.”

Pete ignores his brother. “Look is she even that bothered?”

Vanessa decides to make Pete feel bad enough to take some action “Bothered? She is livid, shes spent loads of money getting her hair done and everything.”

Mission accomplished. “Well, I feel really bad now then.”

Vanessa is satisfied that Pete is going to seek Rhona out to make amends for last night, its exactly what Rhona needs to get Paddy out of her system. Maybe she needs to do something similar to get Charity out of hers.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Later that same day, Charity is working, and Chas is in an awful mood. She isn’t really sure why, but assumes it has something to do with Paddy. Another good reason to stay single she muses. She had an awful night last night, she didn’t hear a peep from Vanessa, not that she really expected to after how she behaved yesterday. She’s resigned herself to the fact that it’s over. She amuses herself by watching Chas vent her frustration on Daz, poor bloke.

Chas is frustrated. “Do I look like the kind of woman that would give you a short measure? No no no, what happened was, I turned round to get your change and you took a sly swig.”

Daz who doesn’t really understand what’s going on decides to argue, as he knows he’s in the right. “I swear it, I never.”

Chas scoffs. “That is terrible grammar, now go and sit down and don’t do it again.”

Daz decides not to push it further. “If this wasn’t the only pub in town.” He skulks over to an empty table, with his four fifths of a pint.

Marlon, who had watched the scene unfold in disbelief from the other side of the bar “Um, I don’t think he did take a swig.”

Chas shakes her head, why does it seem all of the men in her life are on a mission to piss her off at the moment? “Yes, I know Marlon, I’m just letting off steam.”

Paddy strides into the bar, oblivious to the mood. “Has Rhona been in touch today?”

Chas and Charity both roll their eyes.

When no one else speaks, Marlon decides to answer his best friend. “No, she…” he looks at both of his cousins, and the matching looks of irritation on their faces, are what makes the penny finally drop, and he realises what’s up with Chas. “Oh I get it now.” He turns back to Paddy, and tries to help his cousin out. “Er no, she hasn’t, and maybe we should just leave her to it hey?”

Chas still annoyed, wholeheartedly agrees. “I concur.”

Paddy is impressed. “Concur, that’s a great word.”

Chas doesn’t know how to feel about the fact that Paddy clearly hasn’t noticed that’s she’s pissed off with him, and has absolutely no idea why. “Hmmm.”

Charity clocks Vanessa as soon as she enters the pub. Vanessa knows that Charity is there, but she’s proud of the job that she does of ignoring her, and addressing Paddy. “Hey. Pete only went and fell asleep.”

Charity laughs.

Paddy is instantly offended. “That’s not funny.”

Charity stops laughing, but can’t help but have a sly dig, especially considering shes had to put up with Chas’ awful mood all morning. “Well it could have been worse; he could have fallen asleep on Rhona.”

Chas’ eyes go wide and she smacks Charity with her foot, causing her cousin to yelp. “Ow.”

Paddy is mortified. “I was exhausted, and you said you wouldn’t say anything to anyone.”

Chas smiles at Charity.

Charity decides to take pity on him, she blames Vanessa for the added niceness. “Listen, them pillows int it, she brings it on herself.”

Charity turns her attention to a mortified looking Vanessa, she decides to test the waters, with her own brand of Dingle humour. “Bet no ones ever fallen asleep on you have they, tiny blonde, rocket woman?”

Chas shakes her head, and she and Paddy move away, Charity moves closer to a still highly unconvinced Vanessa smirking. For some reasons she can’t seem to stop herself talking. “So, what can I get you? Apart from a quickie around the back? I’ve got a break in ten minutes babe.”

Vanessa is not impressed. Charity is just reiterating for her, that bringing this thing between them, whatever it is, to an end, is the right decision. 

Rishi enters the bar, followed by an insanely attractive man.

Charity who given Vanessa’s reaction, knows she really has blown it with the vet already, thinks there’s no point trying anymore. “On second thought, hang fire babe, I may need to exercise my Hetero side just for five minutes.”

Rishi smiles. “And I thought you’d never ask.”

Charity sniggers. “Oh no babe, look behind you. 

Rishi’s isn’t put out. “Oh, any way I was here for my knitting date. Vanessa.”

Charity laughs. “That’s the funniest think any one’s ever said.”

Vanessa feels her heart sinking as Charity makes her way over to the handsome stranger, and she berates herself. She needs to forget about Charity, and get rid of these feelings.   
Vanessa turns to Rishi. “Have you brought your wool?”

Rishi smiles happily. “Yeah. Can I make a sweater?”

He’s perhaps being a little over ambitious. “Well why don’t we just start with a scarf?”

Charity can’t help herself it seems. “Yeah, yeah, I mean she all wild and adventurous this one, be careful.”

Vanessa really steels herself so she doesn’t bite, she knows Charity is still trying to get a rise out of her. “Look I’ve got to quickly pop back to work, but I’ll just get you started. Okay. Let’s get knitting.”

Vanessa catches Charity’s attention before she leaves. She wants her to know that she isn’t bothered. “I hope he finds you more entertaining that I do.”

Charity can’t believe it, no one has ever been like this with her. She expected Vanessa to have lashed out by now. Well, she’ll show her, although it doesn’t really look like the vet is interested in being shown, as she turns back to Rishi. Charity is annoyed that her games aren’t working, she isn’t really sure why’s she’s trying to play them with Vanessa, that’s never been them. She turns just in time to see the attractive man, being joined by another man who places a soft kiss on his cheek. Charity swallows the embarrassment she feels and grabs a couple of food menus.

“Hey. You er, you might want to look at these.”

She glances back over to Vanessa. In this moment, she has absolutely no idea why she felt the need to ruin this.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Charity, Marlon and Chas are behind the bar are all perched being the bar a little later on. Rishi is busy knitting away, it hasn’t gone unnoticed by her that Vanessa hasn’t returned yet. 

It’s not the busiest they’ve ever been and Chas finds herself checking herself out, probably after Charity’s comments earlier. “Should I get a boob reduction?”

Charity is aghast at the idea. “God no, we’d lose a fortune. Do you know how many men I short change while they’re busy ogling you?”

Marlon can’t say he’s surprised by Charity’s admission. “And you’ve just admitted to theft.”

Charity just rolls her eyes “And let them accuse me in front of their wives Marlon.”

She decides to join Rishi, and have a bash a knitting, she’s hoping Vanessa returns soon.

“Through…off. Is this what they call mindfulness?”

Rishi isn’t happy about her trying to take over. “Can I have it back please?”

Charity decides that it’s probably not a good idea to stick around much longer. “Urgh. So boring.”

XXXXXXXXX

Vanessa came back to the pub armed with her iPad, she was right about Rhona getting Paddy out of her system with Pete, so she just needs to find someone to help her get Charity out of her system. So, she’s planning on swiping left and right through all of the single lesbians in the local area as she guides Rishi on his knitting journey. David, Tracy and Sam are at the bar. Charity is still working; she perks up immediately as soon as she sees that Ness has returned. She can’t help herself, and she follows the vet as she joins Rishi at his table in front of the bar. 

Rishi is proud of his efforts so far. “I’m doing ever so well. How long will a scarf take?”

Charity can’t help the barb that falls from her lips. “Forever.”

Vanessa is still ignoring Charity, refusing to get involved in any of her silly games. Charity glances at the iPad, and her heart falls to her feet, and she does what she always does when she’s scared. She goes on the attack. She addresses that Rishi has spoken. “So, you may have to lower your sights, like I’ve done with her.”

Vanessa swallows hard again. “Don’t you have a man to trap somewhere?”

Charity knows she isn’t going to get a rise out of Vanessa and it infuriates her. But she decides to leave it for now, and she heads back to the safety of behind the bar.

XXXXXXXXXX

Around 30 minutes later, David walks through the pub on his way back to Tracy. Vanessa is still flicking through images on the iPad. Tracy had joined her sister and Rishi when her husband had headed for the bogs. Charity still hasn’t been able to drag herself away, shes clearly a glutton for punishment. She finds herself leant over the bar, eyes on Vanessa’s table, on Vanessa.

Vanessa is a picture of indifference both towards Charity, and Rishi. “Keep going Rishi, very very good.” She doesn’t even glance up from the iPad.

Rishi, it seems isn’t overly bothered, still overly proud with his progress. “Im working towards an Aron jumper.”

Vanessa has absolutely no desire to teach Rishi how to knit anything complicated. “Oh, I only teach Yorkshire knitting.”

David starts flicking through the iPad images over Vanessa’s shoulder. “So, are you like a proper Lesbian now?

Vanessa rolls her eyes. “Nobody gets hung up on labels these days.”

Tracy smirks. “And that means yes.”

David laughs.

Marlon knows what Vanessa is doing, and he knows for all the front she puts on, Charity isn’t happy. He approaches Ness. “Who exactly are you doing this for?”

Vanessa scoffs. “No one.”

Marlon questions further, a little exasperated. “No, what not even yourself?”

Vanessa is on the defensive. “Well yeah, obviously me.” She can’t deny she’s hoping it is having an affect on Charity, shes the one that doesn’t want her, not beyond anything more than a fling. So, she wants the stunning blonde to know that she is on the look out for someone that can offer her a bit more.

Charity has become more and more wound up as she watched her lover swiping through an abundance. She cracks and storms out from behind the bar. “Anything you can do, I can do…”

Before Charity can even start, Vanessa stands up and stops her. “Y’know I am sick and tired of your games. Now except for getting me my drinks. Please leave me alone.”

Ness sits back down straight away and doesn’t give her lover a second look. Charity is mortified, she’s spent the best part of two days trying to get a reaction out of Vanessa, and shes the one that snaps first after barely an hour of Vanessa winding her up. Marlon laughing at her doesn’t help the situation, so she storms back behind the bar.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Its been a few days since the pub. Vanessa has done an exceptionally good job of not communicating with Charity, and Charity hates it. She hasn’t slept, can’t quite fathom out how this all happened, and more worryingly can’t work out why she cares so much. Because she does care. She misses Vanessa. She hates this.

She spies the object of her thoughts coming out of the café, she’s been sent out by Chas to clear the ashtrays from tables out the front of the Pub.

Vanessa spots her straight away, their eyes meet, but she decides to carry on her campaign of indifference. Its been hard these last few days, but shes still managing to convince herself that its for the best. But the truth is, she misses Charity. A lot. 

Vanessa is struggling to get into her car, with all her work stuff weighing her down, and the delightful smelling smoothie she just purchased. But she is damned if she’s asking for Charity for any help. Her stubbornness, bites her immediately, and she juggles slightly in the wrong direction, and the smoothie slips out of her grasp and spills all over her front.   
For god’s sake. “Oh.”

Charity laughs, of course she does, it’s what she would have done if they weren’t in the middle of this weirdness, which she knows she’s the cause of. But her and Ness, this is what they do, they laugh at each other, with each other. So, it’s not a surprise that this is her default setting. “Oh wait, wait, wait, wait wait.” 

She frantically scrambles around in her pocket, trying to find her phone, she is successful and immediately snaps a photo of the covered blonde. “Aw, this is going to be amazing for your dating profile.” She can’t help that little dig.

She can’t help but add to it. “There’s got to be someone out there looking for a blundering blonde, who can chirp their gerbil.” She follows it up with some more laughter.

Vanessa is furious. Charity really is making it easy for her to walk away. “Yeah. Someone who doesn’t have the emotional intelligence of an amoeba.”

It stings a little, Charity can’t deny, but she would never show that to Vanessa. “Actually, if you must know, I cried myself to sleep last night.”

Vanessa raises an eyebrow, waiting for the joke that she knows is definitely coming.

Charity doesn’t disappoint. “Oh, wait that was because I was watching Titanic. You know she forgoes a lifeboat for him.”

Vanessa doesn’t bite again. “Yep.”

It infuriates Charity again, why can she not get a rise out of this woman, she tries again. “Yeah. Now in my new top ten reasons for staying single. So, there’s no obligation to freeze to death should a massive ice berg hit.”

Vanessa snaps a little. “Here we go again. Aint no one gonna cramp my style. Bye Charity.” 

With that the petite blonde turns on her heals and heads straight back to the café.

Charity internally berates herself. “Come on, don’t pretend you don’t love it.”

Vanessa doesn’t flinch, just carries on. Charity shakes her head, annoyed at herself once more. Vanessa really seems to have had enough of her. 

XXXXXXXXX

Charity is chatting to Paddy at the bar, when Vanessa walks in clearly looking for Paddy and not her. Charity decides that if Vanessa is going to bin her off, she’s going to do her best to get that rise out of her that she’s been craving.

Charity is mid sentence as Vanessa arrives at the bar. “Yeah, Pete’s mucky wellies could ruin my carpet any day.”

Vanessa rolls her eyes, but she respectfully lets them finish their chat.

Paddy, hasn’t really noticed the game Charity is trying to play with Vanessa, he’s too annoyed at her assessment of Pete. “Right. Well I bet he can’t spot Mega Bacteriosis in budgie, though can he?”

Charity continues. “Oh, let’s face it Paddy, even the most miraculous kitten resuscitation will never replace a woman’s need for a solid pair of manly hands.”

Vanessa shakes her head, but manages not to offer any further reaction before Charity saunters away. The vet can’t deny she is annoyed. “Reminds me of that slobbering Great Dane I castrated last week.”

Paddy is delighted that Vanessa is on his page regarding Pete. “Yeah, so you think Pete’s a bad idea then too?”

Vanessa’s annoyance switches to Paddy. “I meant Charity.”

Paddy is surprised. “Oh.”

Vanessa can’t quite believe Paddy. “I thought you’d be happy for Rhona.”

Chas approaches from behind Paddy. “Yeah, me too.”

Paddy is on the defensive. “I am. But you can’t deny, there’s not a tiny teeny weeny small little alarm bell going off that says, Rhona’s picked the wrong man. Again.”

Vanessa lets her eyes rove over Charity as she passes. “Sometimes we all make bad choices.”

‘Rude’ is Charity’s main thought as hears Vanessa’s little dig.

Paddy is like a dog with a bone over Pete and Rhona. “Exactly. And look how that worked out for her last time. Look how that ended.”

Bernice enters the pub and makes her way to the bar, as the conversation continues around her.

Vanessa is really losing her patience with him now. “Paddy, has it ever occurred to you that Piers might not be the problem here?”

This intrigues him. “Meaning?”

Vanessa knows she can’t reveal any more for Rhona’s sake, so she bites her tongue. “Nothing.”

Paddy doesn’t want to let it drop. “Well you clearly meant something.”

Charity has finished collecting glasses and decides to try and play with Vanessa again. She starts to sniff the blonde vet. “Oooh. I can smell strawberry. No babe it’s good, it gives you kind of an exotic adventurous air, which let’s face it, is a first for you.”

Vanessa sighs. “It’s not going to work. I am not going to rise to your…”

Charity finishes her sentence for her “Amazing talents?”

Vanessa can’t help it, she’s had her fill, she’s finally going to give Charity the reaction she’s been looking for these past few days. “Look, lets get this straight. You are dull.”

This gains Chas’ attention from behind the bar, seems Charity might be about to get her comeuppance for treating Vanessa like such an idiot.

Vanessa is on a roll now. “Yeah, I said it. We might have had a few wild nights in the sack…” This gets Bernice’s and Rishi’s attention the bar. “…but right now, Charity, you are boring me. Comprende?”

Charity doesn’t speak, she can’t, she finally got her rise, but she’s been humiliated. Vanessa doesn’t want her anymore. That’s the thing that hurts the most.

Chas tries to break the tension. “No one’s perfect.”

Ness looks around and notices the attention of the whole pub on them. She makes a swift exit out of the front door. Embarrassed.

Charity takes in the amount of eyes on her, she needs to escape. “Shut up Chas.”

XXXXXXXXXX

The following day, Vanessa is rattled. When Paddy knocked on her door last night, she really hoped it was Charity. She’s spent the last few days trying to convince herself that she doesn’t want Charity, and can live without her. But she hates the sadness that has consumed her since she resigned herself to being without blonde barmaid. She carries on packing her boot for work, when her Dad Frank approaches with Coffee.

He passes one over and she gratefully accepts. “Here you are.”

Vanessa continues the conversation she was having with her Dad before he went to get coffee, he’s got that ‘I’m so understanding look still in his eyes’. “Aw thanks. Not as if she didn’t warn me, the first time we kissed she told me she messes with people’s heads.”

Frank is trying to support his daughter without being too smug that it’s all ended exactly as he knew it would. “And she can be very persuasive. We’ve all been there.”

Vanessa feels sick. “No need to rub it in.”

Frank does genuinely feel awful. “Aw I, I didn’t mean with Charity. Look a broken heart is a broken heart, whatever spin you put on it.”

Vanessa sighs. “You have to be in love for that.” Don’t you? Because what she feels right now hurts. But she doesn’t love Charity.

Frank smiles. “Well thanks for telling me.”

Charity has spotted the two of them from across the way, and she’s honestly had enough. She just wants Ness back. Needs her back.

Vanessa continues her conversation with her dad. “Before someone else did.”

Both Vanessa and Frank are startled when the hear the voice of the very person they’ve been discussing emanate from behind them. “Hey, glorious day isn’t it, kind of erm, frosty, crispy, wintery morning. So, I was thinking maybe me and you could go for a cheeky coffee babe.”

Vanessa ignores her, its for the best isn’t it, she doesn’t want to feel like this anymore, and Charity has made it clear that she’s never going to give her what she really wants.  
Charity is disheartened when Vanessa snubs her, but she isn’t ready to give up yet. “Oh, come on Vanessa, I’m trying to be nice here.”

Vanessa slams her boot shut. “I’d rather poo a porcupine.” She hopes that’s a little clearer.

Charity isn’t happy, especially given Frank is here to witness it, and he has a stupid smile on his face. Vanessa just jumps in her car and gets ready to head on her first job.

XXXXXXXXXX

Vanessa had left Rhona’s when Pete showed up, happy that her best friend is getting a bit of what she deserves. She can’t help but feel a bit of sorrow washing over her regarding the current state of her own love life. Some people have all the luck. Yes, Paddy didn’t want Rhona, and that’s awful for her best friend, but Pete does, and he will be a great distraction while Rhona gets over her ex-husband. But Charity doesn’t want her, and that’s it. No back up, no one to take her mind off of it, just this horrible empty feeling because she thought they had something, and they clearly didn’t.

She spots Charity outside of the pub, she has a weird knack of always being around when Vanessa is thinking about her. She puts her head down and just powers on heading for Tug Ghyll, she doesn’t have the energy for another battle right now.

Charity obviously doesn’t take the hint. She’s missing Vanessa like crazy, and knows now is a prime opportunity to try and get her back, primarily because she’s alone. Charity knows that she treated her horribly, and Vanessa doesn’t want to look weak by taking her back in front of any one, like her dad, or the punters in the Woolpack. So, Charity knows this is her best chance, and if Vanessa still wont take her back, then it really is over, she fills with dread at the thought. “Bit frosty tonight, nip in the air. Lovely smell of wood smoke out of the wood burner.”

Vanessa sighs, she really hoped Charity was going to leave her be. She wants to get this over with quickly, so she sighs as she turns and gives Charity a rather blunt. “What do you want?”

Charity looks a little upset to be fair, which Vanessa a little curious. Charity knows she has to be honest here if she stands any chance. “Look this isn’t easy for me alright, Im not used to all this indifference. I’m used to pressing buttons and people jumping the way I want them to.”

Vanessa smiles, does Charity not know her at all. “I don’t have the time for all that. I’m a grown up, I have got a grown-up job and a small person to look after.”

Charity argues back. “Well I have too actually, Ive got two small people and a big person.”

Vanessa scowls she can see they’re getting nowhere. So, she turns and starts for her own front door again. Charity panics, its almost an involuntary action when her feet start scampering after Vanessa, she never thought she be the type to literally chase someone down the street.

Charity knows Vanessa wants more from her, needs more. “Okay, look, I know this sounds weird, but um, I do actually care about you a bit.”

She knows that it’s still not nearly enough, but shes terrified here, about what she actually feeling. She tries to push a bit further, in the hope that Vanessa will give her the time of day. “Quite a bit. Any y’know, that’s not something you’re going to hear every day or at all from me.”

Vanessa shakes her head, does Charity really expect her to believe that after these last few days. “You care about me that much, that you play games to prove were nothing?”

Charity needs to get back onto safer ground. “I just thought you and me were having a bit of fun.”

Vanessa agrees. “Yeah, well maybe we are.”

“And maybe that’s all I can offer you right now. You know, and if that’s not enough then fine I get that. But if it’s a Mrs and Mrs white wedding you are after, I am so not your woman.” Charity prays that it is enough.

Vanessa laughs, Charity’s meltdown over the last few days at being called her girlfriend, means she quite aware that a wedding is not on the cards. Vanessa knows that’s shes going to give into to Charity again, she clearly can’t help herself, but she needs her to know if she’s not willing to give her what she needs, she will eventually find it elsewhere. “Even if it was, who said you would be?”

Charity is genuinely surprised, she thought Vanessa would want it all from her, she knows if she wasn’t such a mess, she’d want it all from Vanessa. “Really?”

“I like you Charity, I like you a lot. But that’s as far as it goes.” That as far as it can go isn’t it?

“I can’t make any promises. Okay I can’t, even promise that I won’t hurt you in the end.” Charity is 100% certain that she probably will hurt the vet, and she hates herself for it already.

Vanessa doesn’t like that Charity apparently thinks she some sort of doormat. “What, and you think I can?”

Charity knows she got her back, and the fear inside of her subsides a little. “But up until that point, I will rock your world if you let me.”

Vanessa nods, but she needs Charity to know that she needs more from her that what she’s been willing to give so far. “We go to the pub, tomorrow.” She wants dating, with the dates.

Charity nods, she knows what Vanessa is asking, and yes it scares her, but the thought of losing Ness completely scares her more.

Vanessa is satisfied that they are on the same page and have actually made a bit of progress. “But for tonight, there’s nobody in at mine.”

Vanessa steps towards Charity and takes her face in her hands. It takes Charity a second to realise what the smaller woman is suggesting, but as soon as her lips are on hers, she gives herself completely to the kiss. When they part, she rests her forehead on Vanessa’s and can’t help the little content sigh that falls from her lips. She’s happy to have Vanessa back in her arms.

XXXXXXXXXX

The sex had definitely been different. Charity wouldn’t go as far as to call it making love, she rolls her eyes as she has the thought. But it was different, Vanessa was more open, more vulnerable. She supposes its down to a sort of security, she knows that Charity wants her now, needs her, can’t bear to not have her even if it is at arms length.

Charity is still in the vet’s bed, its late, pitch black outside, Vanessa is laying in her arms, head wedged on her shoulder, content. She knows the smaller woman isn’t asleep yet.  
Vanessa tightens her arm across Charity’s stomach, she can’t deny that she’s happy to have her back in her bed, even with all the rubbish that comes with it. She loves it when they’re together like this, just the two of them, in the aftermath, blissful.

But she needs Charity to know that they can’t have another week like the one they’ve just had. 

Charity braces herself; she can practically hear the cogs turning in her lover’s head.

Vanessa sighs a little. “Charity?” She wants to make sure she’s actually awake.

She feels Charity tense beneath her. Confirming that she is awake, she braces herself for Charity to pretend that she’s asleep. 

Charity sighs, she knows this is a conversation they need to have. “Yeah, I’m awake.”

Vanessa settles a little. “I need you to promise me, that if something freaks you out again, you wont act like you did this week.”

Charity’s heart aches. She feels the shame burning throughout her body, but she doesn’t want to make a promise to Vanessa that she can’t keep.

Her lack of response spurs Vanessa on. “I just want you to speak to me rather that try to humiliate me into getting the point.”

Charity sucks in air. She hates herself for hows she’s acted this week. She knows she never wants to jeopardise whatever this is again. “I promise.”

Her voice is a little croaky as she speaks. “I really am sorry Ness.”

Vanessa smiles against Charity’s chest. “I know you are, you chasing me down the road confirmed that.”

Now Charity’s embarrassed. “Maybe we should keep that just between the two of us yeah babe.”

Vanessa chuckles. “Your secret is safe with me.” She swallows. “But Charity, just because you’re sorry this time, doesn’t mean you won’t do it again next time you get scared.”

Charity is astounded. Vanessa saw through all of her bullshit, and knew that deep down it was because Charity was terrified, of her feelings for Vanessa. She resolves there and then to do better, to be better. She manoeuvres herself so that she’s hovering over her lover, it still takes her breath her to this day, just how beautiful Vanessa is.

“I promise.” She drops a chaste kiss to waiting lips. “That I will try my hardest, to be better.” Another kiss. “and I promise, that I will never purposely humiliate you again.”

Charity feels the lump forming in her throat, ashamed that she’d ever humiliated Vanessa at all, let alone for a second time in recent months. 

Vanessa can see tears glistening in her lovers’ eyes, and she knows that she means it, so she moves her arm and pulls Charity’s head down so their lips meet fully.

It doesn’t take long for the passion to spark again after that, both happy that although everything isn’t completely resolved, and is unlikely to be until Charity gets over her commitment issues. But for now, they’re both in this, and that’s enough.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity stretches as she wakes up, Vanessa is still wedged into her side, and as she finishes her stretch, she brings her arms around the smaller woman, and pulls her closer, whilst simultaneously placing a kiss to her temple. She has missed this, and she’s glad she has it back, has her back.

Vanessa had been teetering on consciousness just Before Charity had started to move, but that early morning show of affection has her wide awake, she can’t help the massive grin that forms on her face.

Charity rolls her eyes, she can feel Vanessa’s smile, she pulls back to look at her lover and can’t help the smile that forms on her own face.

“Good morning.” It’s a sleepy greeting from Vanessa.

“Morning.” Charity follows it up with a small kiss on the lips.

She goes to pull back, but Vanessa doesn’t let her, they’ve got a lot of catching up to do from the days they were apart. Charity responds automatically and it’s not long before Vanessa tongue is in her mouth. Vanessa pushes Charity back, and straddles her lover without breaking the kiss. Charity loves it when Vanessa is in control like this. Charity moans as Vanessa presses her leg into Charity’s core, but she doesn’t stay there for long, it seems Vanessa knows exactly what she wants this morning. Her lips are removed from Charity’s and start to impatiently make their way down her body. It’s not long before Vanessa reaches her goal, and wastes no time diving in, Charity is at her mercy, all she can do is grip the headboard with one hand, and lose the other in Vanessa’s hair. She bites down hard on her bottom lip as Vanessa gets to work. Fuck, why did she almost ruin this.

XXXXXXXXXX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up… Charity calling Vanessa to rescue Tracy, and what exactly happens when they have their date in the Woolpack.
> 
> As always, let me know what you think. Drop me a review or find me on Twitter at Eden_Ashley_Chr


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing.

It’s still mega early. Charity needs to get back over to the Woolpack to grovel to Chas, and try to explain why she nipped out the front last night to collect a couple of empties and never came back into the pub. She’s not particularly looking forward to facing Chas, but in all honestly, she isn’t really bothered. Because she’s back here in Vanessa’s kitchen, back in her bed. Happy.

She’s made a brew and is just waiting for Vanessa to come down so she can give her a kiss before she’s goes and faces the music. Right on cue Vanessa skips down the stairs and into the kitchen. She places a kiss onto the top of Charity’s head as she passes, before she drops down into the chair next to her lover with a massive grin on her face. Charity watches her settle and rolls her eyes at the grin, but can’t quite stop a matching one from appearing on her own face.

“I’m surprised you’re still here.” Vanessa’s eyes are sparkling with mischief, Charity filled her in earlier about her going AWOL from the pub.

“Yeah yeah. You’re a bad influence you, Miss Woodfield. I might just send Chas over here to have it out with you about why I never seem to finish a shift these days.”

Vanessa smirks. “Er excuse me, but you’ve been missing shifts for a lot longer than I’ve been on the scene, so I don’t think that excuse is going to wash.”

Charity chuckles, as usual Vanessa is right. “Well, I suppose I better go and face the music hey.”

Vanessa nods. “I bet she’s not even that bothered.”

Charity guffaws. “You have met Chas, haven’t you?”

Vanessa leans over and kisses Charity. “Go on, get going.”

Charity isn’t ready to leave yet, so she leans back in, and they stay like that just caressing each others lips for what feels like ages. Charity eventually pulls back, and rests her forehead against her lovers, with a content sight. “I better had.” Once last peck. “I’ll see you later yeah?”

Vanessa’s heart jumps as she watches Charity start to rise from her seat. She remembered that Vanessa wants to see her later, and hasn’t tried to get out of it. That grin from earlier is back on her face. “At the pub.” Vanessa nods as she speaks.

Charity rolls her eyes again at the level of excitement on display. “Yes, at the pub.”

She grabs her coat and makes her way out into the glorious crisp morning. She starts to shimmy her coat on when she spots David. She’s in a good mood so she smiles and nods her head at him in greeting. Today is a good day. She just hopes it stays that way once Chas is finished with her.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity comes back into the pub through the side door, and decides to poke her head into the back room. She’s met by an unamused looking Chas, sitting at the dining room table. She plasters a smile on her face and creeps further into the back room. Chas doesn’t speak, she just watches her cousin, still in last night’s clothes she might add. She waits for an explanation; she just hopes and prays that Charity hasn’t gotten involved in some ridiculous scheme.

Charity knows that Chas is waiting for her to speak, so she starts sheepishly. “So, you’re probably wondering where I got to last night.”

Chas sighs dramatically. “You are so stupid Charity.”

Well that’s confusing. Charity just looks at Chas waiting for her to elaborate. She doesn’t disappoint. “You’ve finally found someone, that actually wants you for you, in spite of all your baggage. Someone who could be really good for you…”

Charity can feel her stance becoming more defensive, she’s not actually 100% sure just what her cousin is accusing her of here. Chas is on a roll. “…and you gone and been all ‘Charity’ about it. Please tell me you weren’t out having sex last night. Vanessa will only forgive you so much.”

Charity stops her before she can continue her rant. “Actually, I was out having sex. Really good, amazing sex.”

Chas shakes her head in disgust. Charity continues. “…and although there was a lot of shouting going on, ‘god Charity’, ‘Please Charity’. I don’t think Vanessa was mad, so I don’t think there’s anything I need forgiven for.”

If Charity wasn’t so mad with her cousin, she would probably laugh out loud at the look of shock on Chas’ face. “Oh.”

At least she has the good grace to look sheepish for making assumptions. “So, you were with Vanessa last night?”

Charity just nods, arms still folded across her chest, still defensive. “Well that’s good then.”

Charity realises that she can use Chas’ pre-judgment to get her out of trouble for absconding last night. “Yeah, so I guess we’re even for me not finishing my shift last night.”

Now it’s Chas that looks confused. Charity explains. “You know, I’ll forgive you for thinking the absolute worst of me, and you can forgive me for last night.”

Chas rolls her eyes. “Fine. But Charity, I need you to actually work a full shift today.”

“That will not be a problem, but I need to leave on time.” She takes in Chas’ expression and adds a little further explanation. “I’ve got a thing with Vanessa later. Like a date type thing.”

Charity can actually taste her own nerves. She chances another glance at Chas, and notices mischief sparkling in her eyes. She follows up her half-excited look, with an, “Awwwwww.”

Now it’s Charity’s turn to roll her eyes. “Right, well I’m off for a shower and a lie down”

She gleefully skips out of the room and hears Chas shouting after her. “So, help me God, Charity if you are not behind that bar for the start of your shift…”

Charity just chuckles as she heads for the bathroom. For the first time in a long time, she feels really content. Happy.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity had been sort of drifting through her shift, she’s internally berated herself at the number of times she caught herself thinking about last night, and this morning and smiling. Vanessa definitely brings out this mushy side, this warm and fuzzy feeling, making her feel like she’s trapped in some sort of bad Rom Com. She needs to learn to embrace it though, because the last few days without Vanessa were much worse.

She thought she was in for a relatively quite shift, until Tracy rocked up with a face like thunder, seemingly determined on getting plastered. She’s been sat at the bar nursing her glass of wine for a while now. Charity can tell she’s been dying to get something off of her chest, and it seems like the wine has now provided her with sufficient Dutch courage.

“I saw you sneaking out of our Vanessa’s this morning.”

It’s clearly a statement of fact, but she phrases it as a question, and has pinned Charity with a look that leaves her in no doubt that she expects a response.

“I wouldn’t say I was sneaking.”

Tracy smiles. “Good, it’s about time you weren’t sneaking around.” Charity rolls her eyes. Tracy’s smile drops, and Charity braces herself for whatever’s coming.

“Don’t mess her about Charity. She doesn’t deserve it.”

Charity bows her head a little, shame washing over her. “I know. I wont.”

Tracy seems satisfied with her answer, and Charity decides to try and break the little bit of tension that has descended on them. “So, are we having some food or… not?” 

Tracy seems rather intent of getting inebriated, clearly something has happened. Vanessa would kill her if she let that happen, and the last thing she wants is the vet being mad at her again, especially since they’ve only just gotten things back on track.

Tracy hasn’t noticed Charity’s turmoil; she just passes over her glass. “More wine.”

Charity assesses and decides to let her keep drinking for now. “Oh wow, shocked face.” She turns back and grabs the already open bottle of wine from the fridge and pours Vanessa’s sister another.  
As she’s waiting patiently for her drink, Tracy starts to glance around the pub, she clocks Bob and Brenda sitting at one of the tables. She starts to think out loud. 

“Do you think she worries he’ll cheat again?”

Ah, so that’s what this is about. She wonders just exactly what David has been up to, but she keeps her mind on the question in hand. “Probably.” 

She elaborates further, in the hope of lighting the mood a little, Tracy clearly isn’t happy. “I’d just, er, cut an organ off to limit options.” She follows it up with a chuckle, to show that she is actually joking.

Tracy sighs. “Some days I just want to teach David a lesson.” 

Charity’s face scrunches, clearly, she was right on the money with her previous thought and David has done something. She notices another body enter the bar as Tracy continues with her rant. “All men are idiots.”

The newcomer, latches onto this statement immediately. “Thanks very much.” He gestures towards himself. “The idiot fixing up your stock room.” 

Tracy just looks really confused, and Charity doesn’t like the way he seamlessly slipped into the conversation. She doesn’t like this guy’s vibe. He clearly isn’t shy, as he doesn’t let either expression put him off introducing himself. “Hotten Handy. Remember?”

Tracy doesn’t bite and turns back to her wine.

The handyman clearly doesn’t take the hint, and Charity isn’t at all keen on his persistence. “I hear you’re cracking the whip back home?”

Tracy does bite this time, she’s already bloody furious with David, so it doesn’t take much for her to explode. “Oh. What? Has he been complaining? Are all men wired to be stupid or summat?”

She throws a fiver a Charity to pay for her recently poured drink.

The handy man continues to sleaze on. “How do we change your mind on that?”

Charity knows that Tracy is mad at David, and she’s got enough wine in her to do something stupid. She shouldn’t care really, but she does. God damn you Vanessa, she places the change back into Tracy’s hand. “Erm, your change. Mrs Metcalfe.”

Tracy looks at Charity like she’s grown a second head. Charity just widens her eyes at Tracy as if that should cement what she’s trying to say. The thing is she does get what Charity is trying to say, but she doesn’t care. If David can go out there and do whatever she pleases, why can’t she?

She looks this Hotten Handy guy up and down, and decides that he’ll do for the purposes of this afternoon’s games. “Fancy a drink?”

Charity’s face drops. For god’s sake, its like Tracy is going out of her way to get her into trouble with Vanessa.

Tracy is either oblivious to Charity’s turmoil, or doesn’t care, probably the latter. “Or a lot of drinks?” She giggles as she speaks, with what she hopes is a flirty giggle.

It seems to work as the handy man readily agrees. “Yeah, great.”

Tracy slips off her bar stool, grinning at Charity as she does, and heads for a table by the front of the bar. The handy man eagerly follows. Charity shakes her head as she watches, this could be an interesting afternoon. 

XXXXXXXXXX

Vanessa hasn’t been able to get the smile off her face all morning. She feels like things are finally moving in the right direction with Charity. She’s exhausted, but she doesn’t care. She can get by on adrenaline today. There’s no way she missing her date later. 

She spots Rhona as she’s walking back towards the vets. She had a rather interesting chat with Pearl this morning. “Hey, you mucky mare. Pearl said she spotted Pete doing the stride of pride from yours again.”

Rhona smiles, she can’t help it. “Old Pearl Ladderbanks, eyes of a Hawk, mouth like the Mersey Tunnel.”

Vanessa chuckles at Rhona’s very apt description of their work colleague. She’s intrigued by this thing between Pete and Rhona. “So, what’s deal wi you too then?”

Rhona’s not sure she’s ready to answer that question yet. So, she decides to turn it back onto Vanessa, who it seems also got lucky last night. “Well I could ask you the same question. Because I hear that Charity was sneaking out of yours this morning.”

Vanessa laughs, and allows Rhona to drop it, because in truth, the last thing she wants right now is the Spanish Inquisition from her best friend about her and Charity. She already knows Rhona’s true feelings on that particular subject. Rhona seems to accept the offer of peace, and laughs along with her best friend before they high five. Both content, for now at least. 

Rhona spots Chas and Paddy coming out of the pub in the distance. She knows that she needs to sort things with Chas if she has any hope of getting any kind of friendship with Paddy back on track. She gestures at them and confesses to Vanessa. “Aw, look. I need to have a word.”

Vanessa follows the line of Rhona’s gesture and sees Paddy and Chas; she knows that isn’t going to be an easy conversation for her best friend. But she’s proud of her for being grown up enough to take it on. Rhona links arms with Vanessa. “Come with me.”

They make their way over to the pub and Rhona ask’s Vanessa to cover her shift this afternoon, which Vanessa agrees to immediately. Paddy gives them an awkward wave as they get closer.

Rhona is the first to speak when they arrive outside the Woolie. “Hey, can we chat?”

Chas automatically thinks she’s addressing Paddy, and decides that this needs sorting so she wont stand in the way of that. “I’ll leave you to it.”

Rhona obviously hasn’t conveyed what she means very well. She looks at Chas square in the face. “No, no. I meant you and me. Just us.”

Paddy looks worried.

Rhona sighs. “Look if anybody’s gunna move forward there’s things we need to discuss.”

Chas isn’t best pleased about this, but she knows that Rhona is right. “There’s no time like the present.”

They both head into the pub, Paddy watches them worriedly, but stays outside side by side with Vanessa.

He’s pulled from his thoughts by the sound of his diminutive colleague. “So, Rhona’s just asked me to cover for the rest of the day. You think that’s a big discussion?” 

That does nothing to quell Paddy’s nerves.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity is still battling with Tracy inside the Woolpack. She’s just gestured at the younger blond woman, to leave her as to no doubt that she’s still watching her, and she better not do anything stupid, that’s going to put Vanessa into a bad mood. She clocks Chas coming back in, closely followed by Rhona of all people. 

“Aw. Finally. I could do with a break.”

Chas looks a bit sheepish, but she doesn’t feel overly sorry for Charity, give her usual work ethic. “Yeah we could do with a bit of time.”

Rhona, knowing that Charity and Vanessa are back on, decides to try and placate her a little. “If that’s okay?”

Chas nods to gesture for Rhona to head through the bar and into the living quarters, which she does, leaving Chas and Charity together at the bar.

Charity isn’t impressed, she was hoping for a break from spying on Tracy if she’s honest. “So, I forgo my lunch hour, while you sit and compare Paddy performances? Awwwww.” She shudders at the thought. “Some horrible images just came flooding in.”

Chas rolls her eyes. “No whilst we have a grown up, adult conversation about the man I love. In which nobody gets hurt. Hopefully.”

Charity relents. “I’ll send some lunch in.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity has tried her best with Tracy, but she has continued to put away wine, and drape herself across the awful handy man all afternoon. She doesn’t want to be a snitch, but if she doesn’t do something Vanessa will be fuming.

She can handle Tracy being mad at her. But not Vanessa. That plus she really doesn’t have a great feeling about this Phil character, and wants Tracy as far away as possible.

She has stepped though the back of the bar, and out into the store room area, and finds herself dialling Vanessa’s number. She sighs as the phone starts to ring, and she waits patiently for it to be answered. 

Vanessa is at the vets, just finishing up the paperwork from her last appointment, when her phone starts to vibrate. Her face scrunches up in confusion when she sees her lovers name and picture start flashing on the screen. 

What on earth does Charity want at this time? They’re not due to meet until around 7.30pm later. There’s only one way to find out she supposes.

She swipes to accept the call. “Hiya. Is everything alright?”

Charity takes in the questioning tone to Vanessa’s voice; it is rather unusual for her to call Vanessa during the day when they’re both working. They usually just text back and forth, meaning they can reply as and when they are free to do so.

“Hiya babe. Yeah everything’s fine. I’m looking forward to later.” Charity hopes that puts Vanessa’s mind at rest.

It does. But she still has no idea why Charity is calling. “You didn’t ring me just to say that did you?”

Charity chuckles. “No babe. You haven’t softened me quite that much yet.”

Charity is stalling and she doesn’t really know why. Vanessa has a lot of work to do, what with covering for Rhona and everything. “Well as much as I love to hear your voice, was there something you wanted Charity?”

Charity closes her eyes and sighs. “Yeah, listen, your Tracy’s in the bar, and shes in a right state.”

“What do you mean a state?”

“Well she’s three sheets to the wind, and draping herself all over some bloke. Have her and David had a barney or something?”

Vanessa wracks her brain. “Not that she’s mentioned to me.”

Charity is satisfied that she’s done her duty. “Well look, I thought you better know. You can come and get her if you want, before she makes an absolute twat of herself, or you can leave her be.”

Vanessa can tell that Charity is trying to act flippant, but she also knows that she wouldn’t have called her at work if she wasn’t genuinely worried about Tracy. “I’m on my way.”

XXXXXXXXXXX

Tracy is still enjoying her wine, and the company of their handy man, Phil, she has discovered. Her focus is once again taken by Bob and Brenda, as it had been earlier. They are thick as thieves chatting away and eating their lunch. She just doesn’t get it. How can Brenda have forgiven him for what he did. How can she trust him? 

She can’t hold it in any longer, she points over at Bob “He cheated on her you know. I mean why do men always do that to women? Why are we never enough?”

Phil laughs nervously, not really sure what to say, as Tracy looks to him for an answer.

Through the haze of alcohol, Tracy has a glimmer of recognition. “This might sound funny, but have I met you somewhere before?”

Phil laughs again, nervously. Tracy recognising him now, wouldn’t be great. He plays it down. “I’ve just one of those faces.”

He swallows hard when Tracy doesn’t seem convinced, and decides to change the subject. “Tell me more about you, Mrs Metcalfe.”

Tracy snorts at his formality. “Tracy.”

Phil smirks, operation change the subject has clearly worked. “Tracy. What a nice name.”

Tracy sees Vanessa as soon as shes strides through the door. Due to her drunken state, she’s probably a bit more excited than she should be to see her, and can’t help the squeal that falls from her lips. She addresses Phil. “Meet my sister.”

Phil tenses at the news immediately, Vanessa had made eye contact with Charity as she entered, and then immediately found her sister thanks to her loud excited squeal. She strides over, and responds to her ridiculousness. 

“Who’s just been called by Charity, to say you’re in a state.” She looks at the bloke, who she doesn’t recognise, and doesn’t particularly like given that he appears to be trying to take advantage of a clearly drunk young woman. She has no problem conveying that she isn’t his biggest fan. “And who are you?”

Tracy in her drunken stupor, decides to stick up for her handy man. She can’t help but have a rant about her husband at the same time. “Er, excuse me. He’s fixing some stuff for us in the shop. Cos David reckons we could win some competition, he heard about at some fancy convention he apparently went to. Ha. That’s what David says, and David never lies.”

Wow well Charity was clearly right; it seems that David and Tracy have had some sort of row. “Come home. He’ll be worried.”

Tracy lifts he glass as if to ‘cheers’ her sister. “Good.” 

Vanessa looks over to Charity, who is giving her, her best supportive smile. This is all she needs, on hardly any sleep, and already covering for Rhona for the afternoon. She needs back up. With that she strides back out of the pub.

XXXXXXXXXX

Vanessa has grabbed David from the shop, making it clear that she has no idea what’s gone on, but he needs to get Tracy from the pub. To be fair to him, he doesn’t seem to realise that him and Tracy are rowing. Although that doesn’t really surprise Vanessa, he’s not the smartest of blokes bless him. He dutifully follows his sister in law over to the Woolpack. He isn’t best pleased with how he finds his wife, flirting with his handy man.

Tracy sees Vanessa and David immediately, and this time squeals for effect rather than excitement, and drapes herself across Phil, before she starts to talk again. “Do you know what, we should go clubbing.”

Of course, Phil had seen David and the sister re-enter the pub, and immediately pulls away from Tracy. “This is one livewire I should be stepping away from.” 

He grabs his bag from the floor and tries to provide his boss with an explanation. “I just came for a quiet bite to eat mate. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He quickly scarpers out of the pub.

Tracy is eyeballing her sister, and Vanessa attempts to defend herself. “I had to get David; you were out of control.”

This does nothing for Tracy’s mood. “Oooooooh I’m sorry. Am I not allowed to talk to anyone but my wonderful husband?” She clearly isn’t ready to call it a day yet. “Hey, anyone else want a drink with me? Eh? Hey, Bob, you’re usually up for it.”

Brenda bites back immediately. “You watch your mouth lady.”

David, embarrassed, pulls on her arm, to get her away from Bob and Brenda before she can insult them any further. “You’re causing a scene.”

Tracy hasn’t even started. “Hm um. I’m not yet I’m not.”

David really has no idea what’s going on. “Draped all over some bloke? Why you doing this?”

Vanessa steps away towards the bar, towards Charity, who moves towards her from the other side. They make eye contact by way of a greeting, but both quickly turn their attention back towards Tracy and David. 

Tracy decides to let David know, that she knows his secret. “I know David. What you’ve done.”

David is worried, she can’t know, can she? Tracy just stares at him, but he can’t formulate any sort of words. Tracy just walks off, chucking her empty glass on the bar as she passes and then stumbling on her way.

Both Charity and Vanessa watch with concern. Charity grabs Vanessa’s hand on the bar to get her attention. “What do you think that was about?”

Vanessa really has no idea. “I don’t know. I just hope David hasn’t done anything stupid.”

As much as she would love to chase her sister and make sure she’s okay, firstly, she doesn’t have time, and secondly, the chance of her getting anything coherent out of Tracy right now is slim to none. At least between them, they’ve stopped her making too much of a fool of herself.

“I better get back to work, were already short staffed. Im supposed to be covering for Rhona.”

Charity nods, obviously knowing that Rhona is out the back with Chas. She smiles. “Okay babe. I’ll see you later.”

This causes a smile to erupt on Vanessa’s face too. “Yes, you will. And thanks, y’know, for ringing me about Tracy. I appreciate it.”

Charity just smiles and nods. Being a snitch was worth it on this occasion. Vanessa gives her hand a final squeeze before she heads back out through the front door. She’s got some catching up to do if she wants to be ready for later.

XXXXXXXXXX

The afternoon had settled down following the Tracy related drama, and had been quite boring to be honest. Charity finds herself collecting glasses. Chas appears behind the bar, and Charity moves across to meet her. 

“Hey, I hope things are y’know.” She gestures at Rhona, who has taken up a position at the other end of the bar.

Chas can’t help but tease her cousin. “Wow. Has the relationship softened you Ms Dingle?”

Charity takes mortal offence, she knows things have progressed with Vanessa, but they are definitely not official yet. “Not a relationship.”

Chas smirks, Charity is so easy to wind up. She doesn’t stop there. “Well whatever it is, I hear you called Vanessa to help Tracy too, It’s very nice, caring behaviour.”

Charity knows Chas is teasing her, but she can’t help but let her get under her skin. “I was just stopping her throwing up in the loos. Which by the way it’s your turn to check cos I am overdue a break.”

With that Charity heads straight out through the back of the bar. 

Chas is still smiling. She’s happy for Charity, she just wishes her cousin would embrace it a bit more. “And she’s back in the room. Or not” 

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity meanders out into the bar; she’s spent a little while getting ready she wants tonight to be a success. It’s around ten minutes before Vanessa is due to meet her for her drink and she finds that she’s feeling a little nervous. Only not for the reason she was expecting.

She thought, following on from Chas’ teasing, that she’d be worried about what people would think now that they’re officially dating. Anyone close enough to Charity or Vanessa to be paying attention will know that they had their recent blip at the skills auction, and would probably have expected that to be that, mostly due to her own reputation she knows. So, the fact that they’re going to be on a date, means that people are going to know that Charity couldn’t bear to let her go. And she thought that people knowing that would bother her. It doesn’t. 

What does bother her is the thought of messing this up. She feels like the more official they become, the more people know about them, and want to throw in their ten pence worth; the more chance she has of messing this up.

She’s pulled from her thoughts by the sound of Chas wolf whistling. “Well don’t you scrub up nice.”

Charity shakes her head, but smirks, she knows she looks good. “Yeah, yeah. I’m hot.” She glances past Chas and spots Paddy propping up the bar, obviously keeping her cousin company while she’s working. “Pop your eyes back into your head Padster.”

Charity smirks. Chas shakes her head, and Paddy becomes mega flustered. “Excuse…me… I wasn’t even… Don’t you think I’ve got enough women…?”

He realises what he’s about to say and stops himself, the smile falls from Chas’ face, and Charity’s smirk grows. “Fighting ‘em off with a stick hey Paddy.”

This earns her a smack on the arm from Chas, causing her smirk to transform into a frown. She rubs her arm. “Calm down. Don’t worry, there’s only one vet I’m interested in.”

Chas is delighted, and gets ready to tease Charity again, but before she has a chance Paddy, who is clearly extremely offended by Charity’s assumption buts in. “Erm excuse me, I’m not interested in you either, no offence Charity.”

Just as Charity was about to emphatically confirm, that no offense had been taken, she’s hears the unmistakable sound of Vanessa from the other side of the bar. “What’s going on here then?”

Charity’s head whips around about to fill Vanessa in on how irresistible Paddy is to all women apparently, but her words die in her throat when she see’s Vanessa. She looks stunning. She’s not too overdressed for a night in the pub, but her hair and make up is done to perfection, and she just looks beautiful.

Chas immediately takes in Charity’s dumfounded look, and her heart melts a little. Given that her cousin hasn’t offered Vanessa any explanation she decides to help out. She grabs Charity from behind on each arm and starts to steer her towards the hatch of the bar so she can go and join her date, she speaks as she manoeuvres.

“Nothing to worry about Ness, just Paddy thinking he’s god’s gift to women.” Vanessa looks over at Paddy thoroughly amused, he looks like he’s about to protest, but given how his evening’s going so far, he decides against it.

Chas continues. “I don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about with this one though, seen as though she’s just has some sort of aneurism at the sight of you.”

Chas winks at Vanessa who chuckles. This is enough to bring Charity out her daze, and she shrugs out of her cousin’s grasp and joins Vanessa at the other side of the bar.

Charity scowls at Chas. “Well have a bottle of wine please, and just for that you can pay for it.”

Chas is still smirking. “Gladly.”

Whilst Chas busies herself with sorting their drinks, Charity takes a moment to look at Vanessa again. “Hey.”

“Hey yourself. You look amazing.” Vanessa can’t remove the smile from her face.

“Well you already know you look good, thanks to Chas.”

“Well yeah. That, and I’ve got eyes. Do we maybe need to get you checked over for some sort of mini stroke?”

Charity scowls at Vanessa. “Give over you. It’s bad enough that I’m getting it from this lot.”

Vanessa, through her smirk tries to placate her. “Poor baby.” She lowers her voice and leans into Charity. “If that’s your reaction to me with my clothes on, what’s your reaction going to be like later when they come off.”

Charity grins, she loves it when Vanessa is like this. She supposes the confidence comes from there being a bit more security in this thing between them, whatever it is. Before Charity can formulate a response, Chas is back with the wine and two glasses.

“There you go ladies, on the house. Don’t say I never get you anything.”

Charity smiles. “Very generous Chas.” She turns back to Vanessa. “Shall we grab a booth?”

Vanessa nods, grabbing the glasses and moving towards one of the empty booths. Charity gives her cousin one last look and on seeing the nervousness in her features, Chas gives her what she hopes is a reassuring smile. Seems like this could be something real after all. She watches them move over to the booth, and then decides to leave them be, heading back over to the other side of the bar to be with Paddy.

Vanessa slides into the booth and Charity slides in next to her. She pours them both a glass and they ‘cheers’.

“Who’s got Johnny?” It’s something Charity had wondered about, because clearly Tracy was in no fit state earlier.

Vanessa sighs. “Well Tracy was supposed to be having him, but that went out the window with the two bottles of wine she had earlier.”

Charity grimaces. “Sorry.”

Vanessa is confused. “What on earth are you sorry about?”

“I knew she was getting plastered; I should have stopped serving her.”

Vanessa leans over and places a small sweet kiss onto Charity’s lips. She’s surprised but she accepts it readily. “Don’t be daft. If you’ve have refused her in that mood she would have kicked off. You did the right thing ringing me. Thank you.”

Charity just nods, and Vanessa pulls back and grabs her wine. 

She still hasn’t answered her question. “So, who’s got Johnny bobs then?”

Vanessa grimaces again. “Well thanks to Tracy, I had to ask my dad. Which lead to a bit of an awkward conversation, which I could have done without to be honest.”

Charity feels bad, her heart sinks. “I assume he’s not exactly pleased that we’re back on.”

Now Vanessa feels awful, of course Charity would assume that’s what she meant. “Oh no, I didn’t mean it like that.”

Charity’s face conveys that she doesn’t believe her. Vanessa attempts to explain. “I mean don’t get me wrong, I’m sure he’d prefer that I was dating someone else, but what I meant was, that I was so adamant that I wasn’t getting back with you the other day. I was just a bit embarrassed that I had to go back to him with my tail between my legs and ask for him to babysit, so I could come out with you.”

Charity goes through a range of emotions, happy that Frank apparently didn’t warn Vanessa off the two of them getting back together, sadness that apparently Vanessa was so sure that she wasn’t going to take her back, and pure relief that clearly Vanessa relented and now here they are.

“Just couldn’t stay away hey babe?” Charity winks.

Vanessa rolls her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. We both know which of the two of us, chased the other down the street.”

Charity looks over at the bar to make sure Chas wasn’t in earshot, before turning back to the vet. “Shhhhhhhhhhhhhsssssssshhhhh. We said we were going to keep that between us.”

Vanessa bursts out laughing. Charity isn’t impressed. “I’m getting enough teasing from Chas as it is.”

She starts to pout and Vanessa think’s its adorable. “Yeah I noticed. Don’t worry, I’ve already told you, you’re secrets safe with me.”

Charity settles down at that. “So, I assume given your comments earlier, your dad’s got Johnny for the night?”

Vanessa smirks, and nods. “Play your cards right Ms Dingle and you might get an invite back to mine.”

Charity smiles. Both of their attention is taken by main door of the bar swinging open. Pete and Rhona come in closely followed by Ross and Debbie. They are all laughing and joking amongst themselves. 

Rhona and the two Barton brothers stop at the bar, whilst Debbie continues round, until she’s standing at the end of Charity and Vanessa’s table, eyebrow raised.

Charity feels a little uncomfortable, but her main thought is she’s going to kill Chas if she text Debbie to tell her that she was on a date with Vanessa and that’s why she’s here gawping.

Debbie breaks the silence. “I just popped in for a quick drink and a catch up. Seems like the catch up is definitely needed.” She gestures towards Vanessa.

Charity rolls her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. We’ll catch up tomorrow, I’m just in the middle of…”

Before she can finish the sentence, Debbie does for her. “A date.”

Charity nods sheepishly, and Debbie smiles. “Right well that’s good then. I’ll have a drink with our Chas instead, and you can fill me in about all of this tomorrow.” Debbie wiggles her eyebrows and heads off to sit next to Paddy at the other side of the bar.

Charity turns back to Vanessa, relieved, clearly Debbie approves. Vanessa just smiles. “So, how was the rest of your day then after Tracy disturbed your afternoon.”

“Pretty boring to be honest babe. Good job you arrived when you did though, I thought Bob and Brenda were going to murder her.”

They both chuckle. Charity enquires further. “Had her and David had a barney then?”

“I honestly don’t know, David didn’t seem to know anything about it if they had, and our Tracy wasn’t in any fit state for an inquisition this afternoon. I’ll get to the bottom of it tomorrow.”

Charity nods satisfied, and looks back out across the pub. There’s a lot of regulars in at the moment, as well as Chas, Paddy and Debbie; Rhona, Pete and Ross, Jimmy and Nicola are in, and so are Daz and Dan.

“We’ve got quite the little audience for our date babe.” Charity is thinking out loud.

Vanessa nose scrunches up, and she glances around the pub. “I suppose so. That’s not a problem is it?”

Charity shakes her head. “Not for me babe, it’s you that they’ll all think wants her head examining, not me.”

Vanessa grabs Charity’s hand on top of the table. “Well I’m not bothered who see’s us, or what they think.”

Charity smiles. “Thick skin, that will hold you in good stead if we’re going to give this dating thing a proper go.”

Vanessa leans her head to the side, almost as if she’s examining Charity. “And are we?” she clarifies. “Giving this a proper go I mean?”

Charity is a little taken aback, if they aren’t, what on earth are they doing in here. She decides to play it slightly cooler. “Well I am babe.”

Vanessa smiles, that dopey great big smile she gets whenever Charity says something that sounds remotely like a commitment. Charity can feel her eyes rolling, but before she has a chance to do anything, Vanessa’s lips are back on hers.

Charity is definitely taken aback, it was one thing for Vanessa to kiss her, when it was just Chas and Paddy taking notice of them from the other side of the bar, but she never thought she’d be so open about them in front of half of the village. Charity was so sure she’d be ashamed.

Vanessa pulls back still smiling. Charity can’t help but reciprocate. “Blimey you’re keen. Half the village is in tonight.”

“So what? We’ve got nothing to hide, have we?”

Charity’s hearts bursts and she just shakes her head no, before leaning back in and capturing Vanessa’s lips again. They both get caught up in it this time.

It’s only when Chas pipes up from behind the bar with. “Oi you two, get a room if you’re going to act like teenagers.”

They break apart laughing, and cringing a little too, because let’s face it, they are a bit too old to be snogging each other’s faces off in the local pub.

Charity tries her best to scowl at Chas, but she can’t really summon it, especially when she sees the smile on Debbie’s face. She also notices most of the other patrons in the bar are smirking at them too. She doesn’t care. She turns back to Vanessa.

“How about it then babe, have you had enough of being gawped at in here, fancy getting that room she suggested?”

Vanessa looks like she could devour Charity, and that sends a surge of excitement through the land lady. Vanessa’s words send a further jolt. “Race you back to mine.”

She wiggles her eyebrows, and that’s all Charity needs, she gets up and touches the bar as Vanessa readies herself to leave. Chas, Paddy and Debbie all look interested in what she has to say. She decides to keep it simple. “Don’t wait up hey.” 

She gives them a final wink, before following Vanessa out of the pub, leaving the three of them rolling their eyes. But smiling.

XXXXXXXXXXX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, let me know what you think.
> 
> On twitter at Eden_Ashley_Chr
> 
> Next chapter will be a bit of a filler before we get to the Gay Bar and them becoming official, will include, Vanessa and Tracy’s shopping trip, and Charity going on holiday without telling Vanessa…and a few bits in between!!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing.
> 
> This details the time between them sorting things out after the skills auction, and them becoming official girlfriends.

Charity had woken up at Vanessa’s again, it’s something that Vanessa could definitely get used too. Although they didn’t have as much time to enjoy it this morning, as Vanessa had to get to her dad’s to pick Johnny up and get him ready and off to nursery, and Charity had to get home to sort Moses out and make sure Noah actually made it to school today, something he hasn’t been doing recently, thanks to Joe blummig Tate.

As soon as Vanessa had sorted Johnny, she headed over to David’s shop to try and get to the bottom of what on earth was going on with Tracy yesterday. She assumes something was up with her and David. Turns out it was just Tracy’s jealous streak kicking in. The weird Handy Man from yesterday interrupted them as they were catching up. She can’t put her finger on it, but there’s just something about this Phil that she doesn’t like. Anyway, they’d decided to head into Hotten to grab some breakfast so Tracy could try and shift her hangover, and for a bit of retail therapy.

They’ve been meandering around town, and Vanessa has bought a few bits for Johnny and a couple of jumpers for herself, when Tracy drags her into Bravissimo. Maybe Tracy is planning on getting back into David’s good books with some sexy underwear.

Vanessa starts to absentmindedly browse around the store, Tracy is doing the same in comfortable silence. Vanessa’s eye is caught by a particular set. It’s a lot sexier that she would ever have contemplated buying before. It’s blood red and lacy, and appears to have the option for suspenders and stockings. She has nothing like it, and would have never bought anything like this in a million years pre-Charity, but the land lady does something to her, makes her feel sexy enough to pull something like this off. She can picture Charity’s reaction to seeing her in this, and she has to clench her thighs together at the thought.

She’s brought out of her musing by the sound of Tracy’s high-pitched chatter from behind her.

“Oh Vee, you should definitely buy that, it’s gorgeous. I bet Charity would blow a fuse.”

Vanessa smiles, but she shakes her head, it’s not really her. “Don’t you think it’s a bit too…”

“Too what?” Tracy asks, confused.

“Well. A bit too sexy.”

Tracy actually laughs out loud, and Vanessa feels the tips of her ears starting to burn with embarrassment. 

Tracy doesn’t seem to have noticed, as she continues to laugh. “Vee, that’s kind of the point.”

“Well yeah I know that.”

“Are you sure?” Tracy studies her big sister, she can practically see the anxiety pouring out of her, and something hits Tracy. “Oh, well I guess you’ve never really been in a relationship before.”

Just as Vanessa is about to correct her, Tracy checks herself. “With a grown up I mean.”

Tracy smirks, and Vanessa rolls her eyes. “Me and Charity aren’t in…”

Now Tracy rolls her eyes, she holds her hand up to Vanessa’s face to shush her, if she has to hear Vanessa or Charity for that matter say that they’re not in a relationship, when they clearly are, one more time, she’ll scream.

She decides to get back to the issue in hand. “Have you thought about Charity’s reaction to seeing you in that?”

Vanessa doesn’t speak, she just smirks and then tries to hid it by biting her bottom lip. She isn’t fooling her little sister. Tracy full on grins.

“Well you’ve just answered my question.” She starts rifling through the garments hanging up until she finds the right size for Vanessa, quickly adding the stockings and suspenders in before Vanessa has a chance to protest.

She then moves past Vanessa clearly looking for something else to complete the ensemble. “Er Tracy?”

Tracy momentarily stops to regard her sister. “You need one of them sexy little dressing gowns to go with. A black one.”

She squeals as she sees what she’s looking for. “Perfect Vee. Right go and pay for this lot, and I’ll let you treat me to lunch back in the village at the pub.”

She bundles everything into Vanessa’s arms. “Erm, excuse me, why am I treating you to lunch?”

“It will make up for me having to spend my afternoon watching you making eyes at Charity.” She ignores Vanessa look of pure horror. “Come on, chop, chop. Sooner you pay, sooner we can get back to village and you can see your girlfriend.”

Vanessa thinks about protesting, but the mood Tracy’s in she decides against it and instead just stumbles over to the checkout to pay for her goods.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity finds herself day dreaming behind the bar, an extremely regular occurrence these days to be fair. Today though she isn’t thinking about a certain gorgeous blond. She’s thinking about Joe Tate, and how much she’s hates him for what he’s done to Debbie and what, he’s trying to do to Noah. She’s determined that she won’t let him get his claws into Noah. Over her dead body. She can feel the anger building inside of her, when all of a sudden, she looks up as the front door swings open, and just like that, it’s gone. 

Tracy and Vanessa come stumbling into the bar, laden with bags, it seems they been on quite the shopping trip. She doesn’t get as defensive within herself these days, at just how happy she gets, and how much her mood improves at the sight of the stunning vet anymore.

She decides to have a bit of fun when greeting the two of them. She lets out an exaggerated gasp. “Babe. You shouldn’t have.”

She laughs as Tracy matches her dramatic intake of air before responding. “She didn’t. Although there are a few things in there for your benefit.”

Charity raises her eyebrows at Vanessa intrigued. Her lover is immediately, adorably embarrassed. “Er, Tracy.” She berates her sister.

Charity smirks, she absolutely can’t wait to see what delights those shopping bags are hiding. “Oh, I will look forward to that. You want a pint?”

Vanessa is happy that Charity has seamlessly changed the subject. She nods, yes. “Please.”

The thought of alcohol makes Tracy feel sick to her stomach. “Ooooh. Just a tonic water for me please. I am still trying to shift this hangover.”

Vanessa leans her head on Tracy’s shoulder to try and offer some support. They both tense when they hear laughter coming from their right. It’s a familiar laugh. The creep from yesterday. Phil, otherwise known as Hotten Handy.

Tracy sighs, she’s more than a little embarrassed about her behaviour yesterday, the last thing she wants is a reminder in the form of the bloke that was essentially her partner in crime. “Oh no. Please tell me that is not who I think it is?” She points over to the direction of the actual laughter but can bring herself to look.

Vanessa has no such issues, and spy’s Phil And David looking extremely cosy. “You’re not gunna like this.”

Tracy finally plucks up the courage looks over and sees Phil and David having a drink and looking far too pally for her liking. David sees the two sisters at the bar, and waves, gesturing for them, to come over and join.

Tracy plasters on the fakest smile she can muster. “No, you’re alright if you’re talking shop.”

David is eager for his wife to join them, so he tries to reassure her. “Aw no, no. No shop talk. Oh, other than this job is gunna take a lot longer than we thought, it’s gunna cost a fortune.”

Phil pipes in with that smug smile he always seems to have plastered all over his face. “Yeah all the upstairs wiring needs doing.”

David just nods. “Mmmm. The good news is though, he’s gunna cancel another job to fit us in.”

Vanessa’s first thought is why would Phil be doing it; he’s just a handyman isn’t he? “Well wouldn’t you better with a proper Electrician?”

Phil is furious, but he laughs over his annoyance. “Oh, I could take offence to that. Don’t worry you’re in safe hands.”

Neither Vanessa or Tracy are convinced, and a look passes between the two of them that conveys as much.

Tracy doesn’t try to hide her annoyance. “Lucky us.”

XXXXXXXXXXX

Vanessa and Tracy have ended up staying in the pub with David and Phil, and Tracy has been getting more and annoyed as the afternoon has gone on. Vanessa has had a slightly happier afternoon, exchanging smiles and chit chat as when Charity has had the time. Charity has tried her best to keep their interactions subtle and out of the eye-line of Chas, she had quite enough ridicule from her cousin just recently.

It’s a bit later on when Tracy and Vanessa are sitting on the other side of the bar, munching on their lunch. Charity, Victoria And Chas are loitering close by behind the bar. David And Phil have left them to go and be all macho and competitive at the darts board. A loud cheer emits from the dart board catching the attention of all of the women at the bar.

It’s Charity that speaks first. “God, he loves himself, him, dunt he?” She means Phil, and she doesn’t have to clarify, it’s abundantly clear to everyone else who’s she’s talking about.

Victoria has to agree. “Hmm. Dunt he just.”

Vanessa can’t help but confirm the obvious. “He’s winding Tracy right up.”

Tracy notices that David and Phil appear to have finished pretending to be Phil ‘the power’ Taylor and are heading back over towards the group. Tracy has to take a massive deep breath in an attempt to get her annoyance under control. She can’t believe David is acting like he’s best friends with this guy he barely knows, especially given that he wasn’t exactly knocking back her drunken attention yesterday.

Phil notices six sets of enquiring eyes on them as they arrive back at the bar, he lets them in on his and David’s conversation. “He’s giving me some top tips on my meeting with the bank.”

David plays it off humbly. “Arr, I told you that conference would come in.”

Phil laughs and addresses Tracy. “Seriously, where did you find him?”

Tracy still not at all enamoured with Phil, tries to joke, but there’s an edge to her voice that doesn’t go unnoticed. “In a skip.”

David laughs and tries to play it off. “Ha ha, same skip as I met her.”

Phil laughs, and the smirk never quite leaves his lips. Far too good an opportunity to miss. He looks Tracy square in the eyes. “He’s calling you trash.” It’s funny to him because he knows that’s exactly what Tracy is, regardless of what she’s trying to paint herself as in this fake life she seems to have slipped into.

Tracy doesn’t like his little dig, it’s clear that’s what it was, despite his little laugh that accompanied it. She just fake laughs at him, unimpressed. Vanessa is even less impressed, who does this guy think he is. Charity and Chas are just a bit disbelieving, has he actually just said that? The attention of everyone is taken when Cain and Debbie start to talk loudly at the other end of the bar.

Charity shakes her head. “She’s wasting her time, I mean look at him, he’s gone into shut down hasn’t he.”

It’s clear that Cain and Debbie are talking about his latest split from Moira. They are getting seriously boring. Charity can’t help but feel glad that’s she out of all that Cain drama, and a bit smug that she’s finally with someone that doesn’t bring that kind of drama anymore. She can’t help but taunt Cain. She starts to sing her very own rendition. “All by myself…”

Chas berates her immediately. “Shut up.”

But Cain’s pathetic face spurs her on. It’s just a bit of fun after all. “…don’t wanna be…”

Chas is tries again. “Charity!”

Debbie is furious with her mum, and her face conveys as much.

Cain snaps, he can’t take being the laughing stock. “I’m just a joke to you lot, aren’t I?” He barrels out of the pub at pace after that.

Debbie shouts at her mum. “what are you playing at?”

Charity can’t understand what all the fuss is about. Everyone is always on Cain’s side. “I’m just having a bit of fun, and lightening the mood.”

Chas it seems is almost, almost but not quite, as angry as Debbie is. “No, you were pressing his buttons.”

Debbie continues to berate her. “He is this close to losing it. Right you an me are gunna sort this out now once and for all.”

This really gets Charity’s attention. “Who is? Me?” What on earth does Debbie think she can do to make this mess any better. Clearly, she’s more at home with making a bad situation worse. Especially when it comes to Cain.

Debbie is fairly adamant. “Yes, you. Get your keys.”

Charity knows she can’t afford to piss Debbie off anymore than she already has, so she does as she’s told. She gives Vanessa an apologetic smile as she heads through the back to find her keys. Debbie is so unbelievably frustrated with her mum, she can’t help but pull a face at Chas, which conveys as much. She is so close to really losing it with her.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity had spent the rest of the afternoon having a heart to heart with Moira, not exactly how she envisioned her day going. She tried her very best to convince Moira that Cain loves her, and that it’s more than obvious she loves him, and they should just stop messing about, and be happy. If someone had told her a year ago that she’d be having that conversation with Moira she has thought they were insane.

She also confirmed to Moira that her and Cain are most definitely a thing of the past, and the Scot. had absolutely nothing to worry about in that regard. She thought she might feel a bit sad confirming that statement out loud, given their history. But she didn’t feel sad. She didn’t feel anything really. She just felt an absolute certainty for the first time in her life, that she actually meant it.

Vanessa has spent the rest of the afternoon in the pub with Tracy, David and Phil, and to be honest Phil’s company hadn’t been as grating as she thought it might be. She was disappointed when Charity hadn’t returned to the pub before she left, she can’t deny that she’s a little worried at the prospect of Charity spending the afternoon with her ex.

Charity meanders into the back room at the pub, and isn’t surprised to find it empty. Chas is working the late tonight, she can hear loud gun shots coming from Noah’s room upstairs, meaning he’s playing one of his daft computer games, at least he’s up there mind. Moses is with Ross. Debbie is on slightly better terms with her thanks to her stint as Cilla bloody Black today, she just hopes that Cain and Moira have sorted things out. She dreads to think how Debbie will treat her if they haven’t. Plus, there only so much of Cain’s moping she can take.

She slumps onto the couch and pulls her phone out. It’s not mega late, so she can definitely get away with dropping Vanessa a text.

‘hey babe, I’ve just got home from helping Cain with the mess that is his relationship. What you up to? X’

Vanessa practically leaps at her phone when she hears it beep. She smiles when she sees the message is from Charity. She types out a quick reply.

‘You survived the wrath of your Debbie then? I’m not up to much, having a brew and watching telly. Xx’.

She is genuinely curled up on her couch wrapped in her dressing gown, her towel one, not the skimpy thing she was forced to buy today, that would have been no good in these temperatures, and nursing a cup of tea, enjoying the extra bit of warmth she gets from cradling it in her hands.

Charity’s main thought, is that she’s glad Vanessa is still up. 

‘Fancy some company? Could do with a nice brew? Wouldn’t mind seeing what you bought from town earlier either. X.” she adds a winking face for effect.

Vanessa rolls her eyes at the message. ‘I don’t mind making you a brew, but you’ll have to make do with me in my warm PJs and dressing gown, no way I can be bothered to get changed now. X’

Charity can live with that. ‘I’m on my way. X’

Vanessa unlocked her front door in readiness for Charity’s arrival and busies herself with making her lover a brew, and its only a few minutes later that she hears her front door open. She watches as Charity locks the door behind her, and takes the key out of the lock. Vanessa’s discovered that Charity is quite safety conscious when it comes to locking up. She shrugs out of her jacket, and then makes her way into Vanessa’s living room. Vanessa can’t help but replicate the brilliant smile that Charity is wearing.

Vanessa hands over the brew. “Oooooh thanks babe.” She looks Vanessa up and down. “Well I hope this isn’t the outfit you bought for me earlier.”

Vanessa proper belly laughs. “Er no.” She leans forward and gives Charity a kiss by way of a greeting. “I wouldn’t exactly call what I bought earlier an outfit.”

She plonks herself down on the couch and Charity follows suit, eyes still glistening with mischief at Vanessa’s latest statement. “So, just so I’m ready, when do you think you’ll be modelling that particular non-outfit for me then babe?”

Vanessa can’t lie, Charity’s eagerness to see her in what is clearly something skimpy does something to her. “Who knows, I guess you’ll have to be a good girl, and when I think you’ve earnt it, I’ll let you know.”

Vanessa doesn’t miss the way Charity’s pupils dilate. Charity of course is thinking about all of the things shes going to do to Vanessa to earn her treat.

Vanessa clears her throat nervously. She’s still a bit worried about Charity and Cain. “So er, how did you get on today then?”

Charity eyes her curiously. She can see the vet isn’t at all comfortable, she supposes that has to do with her past with Cain. She decides to put her mind at rest immediately. “Well spending the day trying to convince your exes wife that they’re mad about each other, and should be getting back together was a bit of a strange affair, but hopefully it worked.”

Vanessa calms slightly at the confirmation that Charity was apparently with Moira all day, she calms more at the confirmation that she was pushing the Scottish farmer back towards Cain. “And were you successful in your mission?”

Charity shrugs. “I haven’t heard anymore from our Debbie, which can only be a good thing.”

Charity eyes Vanessa curiously again. “Thank god I’m not still caught up in all that drama hey.”

“You don’t miss it then? The drama?” Vanessa holds her breath. She not just asking about the drama, she’s asking about Cain too.

Maybe its her age, but she really and truly doesn’t, the thought of it doesn’t excite her like it used to. The thought of Vanessa dressing up in skimpy clothes on the other hand… “Got more than enough to keep me entertained right here.”

It’s a bit cheesy for Charity’s liking, but the massive smile that blooms on Vanessa’s face means it was more than worth it. She doesn’t want to get bogged down in this lovey dovey nonsense though, so she changes the subject quite quickly.

“Did you get to the bottom of what was up with Tracy yesterday?”

Vanessa lets her change the subject. “Something to do with her getting the wrong of the stick. I think she thought something was going on with David and Priya. But it was nothing.”

“Are you sure?”

Vanessa sighs. “Well she seems to be. But David has got previous, and so has Priya for that matter, so who knows. I really hope he hasn’t done anything stupid.”

“And what about that sleazy handy man? What’s his story?” Charity hasn’t liked what she’s seen of him so far.

“Who knows. He’s a bit too present for my liking, for a handy man. But he seemed harmless enough as the afternoon went on today.”

Charity mulls over the information, and a comfortable silence descends. Vanessa finishes her brew, and places the empty mug on the coffee table. She rests her head on Charity’s shoulder, and the bar maid pulls her closer putting an arm around her at the same time. She places a kiss on Vanessa’s temple, and they settle down like that still in silence, and Charity loves it. Once she finally finishes her brew, she stretches to place it next to Vanessa’s on the table, causing the smaller women to stir slightly.

Vanessa looks up from Charity’s shoulder. “You ready to go up?”

She doesn’t have to ask if Charity is staying over anymore. Charity looks down to meet her eyes, and drops a chaste kiss on her lips. She just nods, yes. They silently make their way up to bed.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity has been pestering Vanessa nonstop for the last few days, all about what exactly Vanessa bought on her little shopping trip with Tracy the other day. Vanessa has been teasing her for all she’s worth, to the point that it’s been built up a bit too much now probably. As a result, Vanessa is feeling a little self conscious about the whole affair.

That being said, she knows she absolutely has to man up and get this show on the road, Charity isn’t going to be patient for much longer. That’s why Vanessa finds herself on this Thursday evening, a glass of wine down, Johnny at her dads, and no interruptions coming her way; standing in front of her bedroom mirror.

She decided to go the whole hog, stockings, suspenders, high heels, make up done to perfection. She hasn’t quite plucked up enough courage to actually look at herself in the mirror yet, the skimpy dressing gown pulled firmly across her chest.

She knows Moses is with Ross tonight, so when she does finally decide how to play this, Charity should have no problems joining her. She shakes her head and takes a deep breath, she’s being stupid. She takes in her reflection in the mirror and pulls back the dressing gown. Her jaw drops a little, she starts gesturing, and posing a little. She looks good. She thought she’d feel a little more silly. But nope, she feels great. Now she absolutely can’t wait for Charity to see her. She decides to send her lover a simple text message to get proceedings started.

Charity is bored, she’s in the Woolpack. Not working, and it’s not like her to be loitering around the bar when she doesn’t have to. But Moses is with Ross, Noah and Samson are locked away playing computers, and Debbie’s missing in action. Chas is working, which is why she finds herself in the bar looking for mischief, although her heart isn’t really in it. She hasn’t heard from Vanessa all day. Not that she’s bothered really, it’s not like she’s her girlfriend, she doesn’t need to know where she is at all times. That being said, Vanessa is more than aware that Charity is at a lose end right now, so she thought she might want to entertain her. 

Chas wanders over to where she’s sitting at the bar. “What’s up with you?”

Charity sighs. “I’m bored out of my mind.”

Chas grimaces. “That’s never a good combination.”

Charity is confused. “What do you mean?”

“You and boredom, it’s usually a recipe for disaster.” Chas smirks before she continues. “Where’s you’re girlfriend this evening?”

Charity isn’t going to dignify that with a response, so instead she just scowls at Chas who wanders over to the other side of the bar chuckling to herself. 

Charity sighs again, she’s decides to cave and seek Vanessa out. Just as she’s pulling her phone out of her pocket, it buzzes in her hand. She smiles as she sees it’s a message from Vanessa, and then rolls her eyes at herself for how happy she is to see the message. She swipes to unlock the phone; and stares down at the message.

‘On a scale of one to ten, how bored are you right now?’

Charity actually looks around the pub expecting to see the gorgeous vet smirking back at her. But she’s nowhere to be seen. Perhaps she’s developed the ability to read Charity’s mind, even from a distance.

‘Are you spying on me babe? You’re not got to jump out from behind one of the booths, are you?’

Vanessa looks down at Charity’s response. Perplexed. She types out a flirty response.

‘Absolutely not, if I were to jump out in what I’m wearing right now, I’d likely give Rodney at heart attack.’

Charity’s looking down at the message trying to figure out what on Earth Vanessa is on about, when another message pops up, this time it’s a picture message. She feels the air leave her lungs at the sight of it, and she hears a noise fall from her lips, it’s not one she recognises from herself, but she knows she definitely made it.

The picture is a selfie of the stunning blonde in her bedroom mirror, she’s wearing a skimpy black dressing gown, which she’s pulled over most of her body, but there’s a glimpse of lacy red showing through, and she can make out the stockings and suspenders on the bottom of the image we’re her legs go out of view. Her blonde hair is cascading down in her shoulders, and she’s got the sexist half smile, half lip bite that Charity has ever seen. Fuck.

Chas has obviously heard the noise that just involuntarily emitted from her throat, and has scampered back over to Charity’s side of the bar, with a look of genuine concern.

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

Charity can’t speak, her jaw still slack. Chas glances down at her phone, and she quickly whips it out of view, Chas cannot see this image. Chas just pins her with a look when Charity still doesn’t offer any response. Instead she slips off the bar stool, and quickly heads for the exit without further word to her cousin. Chas just watches her go; Charity is by far one of the strangest people she’s ever met. Chas shakes her head and gets back to her shift. 

XXXXXXXXXXX

Charity doesn’t think she’s ever moved as fast in her life. In fact, she can’t have done, because she finds herself outside of the front door of Tug Ghyll and she’s not 100% sure how she got here. She doesn’t want to waste any time now she’s here. She tries the front door and is delighted to find its open, she scurries straight into the living room, and is thrilled to find Vanessa smirking at her perched at the dinning room table nursing a glass of wine.

Charity doesn’t speak, she just lets her eyes run down the length of Vanessa’s body. She still has the dressing gown wrapped around herself, but Charity can she the stockings and suspenders, and the high heels. She swallows hard at the sight. She can feel herself melting. Eventually her eyes make their way back up to meet her lovers, her mouth agape.

Vanessa can’t remove the smirk from her lips, Charity’s reaction has electrified her to her core. She takes a sip of her wine, and tips her head to the side. Charity still hasn’t managed to form words.

“See something you like Dingle?”

Charity swallows again, her mouth unbelievably dry. The sparkle of mischief in Vanessa’s eyes brings her out of her dream like state a little. Vanessa clearly has the upper hand here, but she can have it as far as Charity’s concerned. She’s earned it with this outfit. An outfit that in fact she would like to see a lot more of.

She absentmindedly nods her head in response to Vanessa’s questions, and finally finds her voice. “I do, and there’s a lot more I’d like to see.”

Charity steps forward. Vanessa immediately rises from her seat, still clutching her wine. She side steps Charity being careful not to let her gown open. They have basically just switched positions.

Vanessa wiggles a finger on her non wine holding hand. “Ah, ah ah. Not so fast.”

Charity is mesmerised, she isn’t sure what game Vanessa is playing here, but she is a willing participant. “What are we waiting for babe?”

Vanessa laughs. “I didn’t go to all this effort, to just give it up easily you know. You’ve got to work for this.” She glances down at herself, and Charity follows the movement of her eyes. Charity is grinning now.

“Is That right. And what exactly do I have to do?”

Vanessa inhales, and pulls a face as though she’s giving it a great deal of thought, she moves around the room as she does and makes herself comfortable on the couch. Charity is watching her like a hawk the whole way. “Well a bit of parity in the undressed department wouldn’t go amiss.”

She gestures over at Charity’s bulky jacket which she hasn’t managed to take off yet, such was her eagerness to get into the room, and into Vanessa’s robe apparently.

Charity looks down, as if she didn’t even realise she was still wearing her coat. She quickly shrugs out of it and throws it onto that hideous arm chair in Vanessa’s front room, she kicks her shoes off her feet at the same time, and awaits her next instructions.

“That’s a good start.” Vanessa raises her eyebrows leaving Charity in no doubt that the petite blonde wants her to continue undressing.

Charity decides that two can play this game, because as much as she is attracted to Vanessa, she knows Vanessa is equally as attracted to her. She struts into the centre of the room, Vanessa follows her on the couch, so Charity is now I the space directly between Vanessa legs. She looks at Vanessa and never breaks eye contact, never lets the sexy smirk drop from her lips, as she starts to slowly undo the buttons on her blouse.

Vanessa can actually feel the control leaving her body and retreating over to Charity, with every button that’s undone. The vets throat gets dryer and dryer. The beauty marks on Charity’s are slowly revealed, she doesn’t stop there, she keeps going until her flat stomach is also on show. Charity smiles as she pulls her shirts off of her shoulders and throws it in the same direction of her recently discarded jacket. Vanessa swallows hard. Again.

Charity wiggles her eyebrows. “See something you like, Woodfield.”

Vanessa rips her eyes from Charity’s black lacy bra, a favourite of the vets, when she hears the teasing tone in Charity voice. 

Vanessa jumps ups and pushes Charity down onto the couch, into the spot she’s just vacated. Charity lands with a hmmmmpppphhh. 

“What that old thing. Nothing compared to what I’ve got under here.” 

Charity looks at the robe Vanessa is still clutching across her chest. “I don’t doubt it babe. I’d really like to see it babe. Please.” Charity winces at the whine in her voice. She doesn’t want to seem like she’s begging, but if the cap fits.

Vanessa can’t wait any longer. “Well since you asked so nicely, you better get up and help yourself. I’m not doing the hard work for you.”

Charity doesn’t need to be told twice. She’s on her feet in milliseconds. But she decides to enjoy this moment. She gently takes the wine glass from Vanessa’s hands, and places it on the coffee table, before she steps back into her personal space, placing a hand on each of the vet’s hips on top of the robe. She leans down and starts to slowly kiss the stunning blonde. It’s perfect.

She needed that kiss. She pulls back and moves her hands up to either side of the robe, stopping to look Vanessa in the eyes before she goes any further. Vanessa knows that she’s asking for permission, as if she needs any confirmation that Vanessa wants this, needs this, she’s practically a trembling mess already. But Vanessa knows that it’s important to Charity that she has consent for everything so she nods her head ever so slightly.

Charity runs her hands up the lapels on the robe, and as she starts to move her hands back down, she starts to slowly open the robe. As she pulls the robe apart more and more, she reveals more and more of the underwear beneath. Eventually she pushes the robe off of Vanessa shoulders and it drops to the floor. Charity hasn’t taken her eyes from Vanessa’s body. “Fuck.”

She leans back in, close to Vanessa’s ear. “You are so beautiful.”

Vanessa’s breath hitches in her throat, she loves when Charity is like this with her. The bar maids’ hands find purchase in her hips before gently sliding up her sides, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. She ghosts her lips over Vanessa’s without ever actually making contact. “I want you so much.” It’s practically a whisper as it falls from Charity’s lips.

Vanessa swallows hard. “I’m yours.”

That’s all it takes for both of them, to give into their passion.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity had not been able to get enough of Vanessa in the aftermath of their incredible night together. But unfortunately, as it usually does, Dingle life started to get in the way. Although to be fair, it’s not so much Dingle, as Tate this time. Joe to be precise trying to poison Noah against her. She had to get Noah away from him, and it had to be quick before the brain washing was complete. 

So quick in fact that she’d booked a last-minute holiday to Lanzarote for her Noah and Moses. So last minute that’s the plane’s just touching down in the sunshine island. She feels bad that she hasn’t had a chance to even message Vanessa to let her know she’s gone away, especially with how good things have been recently. It’s going to be a while before she has a chance to as well, she’s got baggage claim, transfers, checking into the hotel, all with two kids in tow. Not something she’s looking forward to if she’s honest. Vanessa will have to wait.

It’s about two hours later, when she’s finally settling down on the balcony at the hotel. Moses has crashed out in bed already, and Noah is lounging in a chair to her left bashing away furiously on some sort of hand held device thing. She’s enjoying her first glass of wine of many she hopes. This holiday with just her to look after the two boys is going to be anything but relaxing. She lets her mind drift to how much easier this would be with Vanessa her. Although she supposes that would mean an extra kid to look after as well. Just as she’s having the thought, she feels her phone vibrate on the table.

She replaces her wine with the phone, and her heart sinks when she sees its Vanessa. She quickly swipes to open the message. ‘Pearl has been doing my head in today. I’m so happy to finally be home. How’s your day been? XX’

They’ve started doing this more and more recently, keeping each other up to date about their day to day lives. If she’s honest she can’t remember the last time that she went a day without, seeing, speaking to, or texting Vanessa.

Her heart starts to climb into her throat as she worries about just how to let her, non-girlfriend know that she’s in another county 4 hours away, and somehow explain how she got here without once mentioning it to Vanessa.

‘Well. It’s been interesting.’ Charity decides to build up to the bomb shell.

She watches as the dots start to form on the message to show that Vanessa is typing out a reply. ‘Sounds like there’s a story there. My Dad’s got Johnny so I could come over later, if you want to tell me all about it? XX’

Charity feels even worse now. She decides to just tell her. ‘The thing is babe, I’m actually in Lanzarote with Noah and Moses. X’

Vanessa is sitting on the couch in her living room, she looks at the text she’s just received from Charity. Lanzarote, is she serious? Vanessa can feel the tears starting to prick her eye balls, she really thought they’d been making progress recently. Clearly, they haven’t, or else how could Charity just up and leave on holiday without telling her.

Charity starts to panic when no response is forthcoming from Vanessa straight away. She types out what she hopes is a reasonable explanation. ‘Listen babe, I know I should have mentioned it, but it was all so last minute. I needed to get Noah away from Joe, and let him know about his dad and stuff. I’ll explain properly when I get back. X.’

Vanessa softens a little when she sees Charity’s latest message. Her lover has been feeding her snippets of the drama that’s been going on with Joe Tate, and Debbie and Noah, nothing too heavy, but she knows Charity well enough to know that she’s been incredibly worried, and thoroughly pissed off by it all.

However, it would have only taken Charity approximately 5 seconds to let her know that she was going, before she went. ‘When are you back?’

The lack of kisses at the end of the message does not go unnoticed by Charity, but at least she’s responded. ‘Only here for a week babe, I’ll be back before you know it. X’ she adds a wink for effect, in the hope that Vanessa’s is in the mood for cheekiness.

Vanessa sighs, she’s still pissed off with Charity, but the facts are that they aren’t in a relationship, so really, she didn’t have to tell her. ‘Hope you and the boys have a good time. X’

Charity can practically feel Vanessa’s annoyance at her through the phone, but there’s not a lot she can do about it, she needed to do this for her boys. She consoles herself with the fact that once she’s explained herself properly, Vanessa will forgive her.

She sends a final text before getting back to her much needed glass of wine. ‘Thanks babe. See you in a week. Xx’

Vanessa sighs and throws her phone onto the couch while she busies herself pouring a glass of wine, she may as well, she hasn’t got anything better to do. She tries not to think about a whole week without Charity.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity has text Vanessa every day whilst she’d been away. Sending her pictures of herself, the boys, the scenery, they’re on much better terms than they were that first night when Vanessa found out she’d took off without a word.

She’d had a bit of an ear bashing on the last day of their holiday, the day after Valentine’s day, when Vanessa relayed how Tracy had asked if they had done anything for the day, and she had to sheepishly explain that Charity had buggered off without bothering to tell her. Charity had managed to placate the vet by reminding her that she’d be home the following day.

Vanessa is about the only thing Charity is looking forward to getting back to the village for, Debbie has been keeping her updated regarding Ross’ attack. It sounds awful, she’s not sure how Moses will react to seeing his Dad in a state.

It doesn’t take long for her to find out, in hindsight, taking Moses to the hospital to try and cheer Ross up probably wasn’t the best plan. It had gone awfully; Ross broke down right there in front of them. It had taken her ages to settle Moses down that night.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

As a result of Ross attack, and all of the fall out caused by it, combined with the fact that Vanessa has a grown-up job, and a small person to look after, Charity has been back from holiday for a few days now and still hasn’t seen the gorgeous blonde.

That has just changed, Vanessa wanders into the pub as half the village is in talking to Sandy on Skype in Australia. She had been busy serving someone else when Vanessa arrived, so she was only able to give her a small smile as Chas poured her pint for her. A bit of the tension she’s been holding inside of her subsides when Vanessa returns her smile.

Sandy clicks in and starts addressing all of the regulars, so whilst Charity is dying to speak to Vanessa, she decides to hold back until Sandy has finished. She makes her way over to her lover, and without speaking settles down next to her, on the opposite side of the bar obviously.

She vaguely hears Sandy telling the occupants of her pub that ‘the drinks are on him’, this piques her attention and she hears his next line in full. “Charity, I’ll pay you back when I next see your miserable old face.”

Charity steps forwards towards the lap top. “Oi, cheeky sod. I heard that.”

Everyone at the bar laughs. Charity is in a good mood after seeing Vanessa again after an absence of over a week so she relents. “Oh, go on then what you all having?”

She smirks when everyone at the bar cheers.

Charity had got bogged down pouring all the drinks that she had agreed to pay for. So, she still hasn’t had a chance to speak to Vanessa properly, it seems the vet is about to rectify that, as she saunters over to the bar to address her. “Did you have a nice time then?”

Vanessa knows exactly what kind of time she had on holiday, as she text her every bloody day. She wants to get to the good stuff, as in when her and Vanessa can get some proper alone time in. “Yeah, yeah, it was alright if you like Lanzarote. So, shall I come round tonight then, to pick up where we left off?”

Vanessa can’t quite believe Charity’s cheek, then again this is Charity Dingle, so maybe she shouldn’t be surprised. “We left off with you leaving, and not saying good bye.”

Charity rolls her eyes, she thought they’d been through this. “I had to go away for the kids.”

She can see that Vanessa isn’t impressed, but at the end of the day, her kids come first. “Do you have a problem with that?”

Vanessa knows she’s being childish, but she’s missed her. “Nope. Just think a post card might have been nice, that’s all.”

Charity, instantly knows that Vanessa has forgiven her, she gives her a half smile that confirms as much. It winds Vanessa up a bit, but not enough to do anything drastic, she’s not about to kid herself that she’s not absolutely dying to see Charity. “Right, well. I’ll see you in a bit then.”

Charity is delighted, she winks and smiles as Vanessa pushes herself off the bar and heads to leave the pub. Charity meanders towards the back of the bar. Still smiling. Happy.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity has finished her shift, and is getting ready to head over to Vanessa’s, she’s in her bedroom music playing, and she’s happily singing along when her phone beeping catches her attention.

She grabs the phone, and see’s Vanessa’s name, she’s clearly keen, and Charity is pleased about that. Her heart sinks as she reads the message. ‘I’ve got lumbered with the stock take at work. Not sure how long I’ll be stuck here for. I’ll message you as soon as I’m leaving.’

Charity can’t help but think this is a bit of revenge on Vanessa’s part. She bashes out a reply. ‘Is this because I went on holiday without telling you?’

Vanessa is currently in the treatment room surround by boxes, clip board in hand. She sighs when she sees Charity’s message. Luckily, she’s willing to be much more open about her feelings than Charity is. ‘Charity why would I want to delay seeing you any further? Trust me I’m gutted, but I’ve been lumbered by Rhona and Paddy. I’ll be as quick as humanly possible. Xx’

‘Well how long is that likely to be?’

Charity’s pout may as well have been sent to her as a picture message. ‘Couple of hours, I’ll be a lot quicker if you stop texting me now.’

Vanessa drops her phone onto the operating table and gets back to the task in hand.

Charity has half a mind to find Paddy and make him go and do the awful stock take. No doubt he’s around here somewhere canoodling her cousin. Don’t they realise that she hasn’t been with Vanessa for over a week. She decides that this simply wont do. She shuts the radio off, and heads towards the vets with a renewed purpose.

XXXXXXXXXX

The vets is unlocked, so she lets herself into the main reception area. Vanessa is nowhere to be seen so she carries on into the consultation room. She can see the light on in there and can hear Vanessa humming away to herself.

Charity steps into the room and can’t help but smile, Vanessa is facing away from her diligently counting up the boxes and marking the numbers down on her clip board. Charity sneaks up behind the vet, and slides her arms around her waist, and starts to pepper kisses down Vanessa’s neck from behind.

Vanessa had a slight heart attack to start with, but as soon as she felt the hands slide into place, she knew who it was, when the kisses started, she was sure. She pushes back against Charity and turns to face her, dropping her clip board onto the table.

“What are you doing here?”

“Well, I thought I’d come and keep you company.”

Vanessa smirks, as Charity starts to move towards her. “How likely is it that I’ll get any work done with you here?”

Charity, pulls at Vanessa’s jumper, and is internally delighted when the vet allows her to pull it over her head, discarding it immediately. She slips her hand under Vanessa’s t-shirt, and not only does her lover also not stop her removing that garment, but she sees that her pupils have expanded to the point that there’s hardly any blue left. Charity smirks, Vanessa wants this as much as she does. “May as well knock it on the head straight away then hey.”

She manoeuvres them so that Vanessa is firmly up against the wall, and starts to kiss her for all she’s worth, and Vanessa is right there with her. She makes quick work of the button and the zipper on Vanessa’s jeans, and wastes no time slipping her and inside. God she’s missed this.

XXXXXXXXXX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next – the gay bar and official GF’s 😊


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing.

Vanessa feels a lot more comfortable in her relationship with Charity these days, but she can’t deny she’s still frustrated at Charity’s refusal to label them as anything more than a bit of fun. That’s why she jumps at Bernice’s invitation to accost Robert into a night out at a gay bar in Hotten. Maybe Charity could do with a reminder of just what ‘no strings’ actually means.

Vanessa knows she looks good as she waits patiently outside the Woolpack with Kerry, Priya and Bernice, ready to collect Robert.

It’s not long before Robert steps out of his house and Bernice gets the ambush underway. “Surprise.”

Kerry who’s clearly eager to get this show on the road, explains exactly what’s going on to a confused looking Sugden. “We’re coming out on the razz with ya. Gunna help ya get back in the saddle.”

Bernice decides to give him a bit of context. “We might have had a conversation in the salon about you needing a bit of moral support.” She gestures over to Priya “She’s miserable as well…” She then points at Vanessa “…and she likes you for some reason.”

Vanessa smiles and then chuckles as Kerry confirms her reasons for being here. “Yeah and I just wanna get wasted. So….”

The taxi pulls up outside the pub, as Bernice confirms the final attendee. “Vicky’s gunna meet us there later.”

Robert genuinely can’t think of anything worse right now. “Yeah. Sorry but I, I think I might have to take a rain check. I’m er, I’m gunna stay in actually.”

Bernice simply isn’t having any excuses she links arms with Robert and starts to manoeuvre him towards the taxi. “Yeah, well. You know who else is staying in don’t you? Aaron, all snuggled up with Doctor Hare. So, come on. A bit of beefcake, will do you the power of good. You’re gunna enjoy yourself even if it kills you.”

Charity is in a mood, so she’s been sent out the front to collect glasses by Chas. She surprised to see Vanessa and half the village seemingly about to head off somewhere in a taxi. It’s obvious from their attire that they’re all off out somewhere. She swallows down the hurt she feels that Vanessa didn’t tell her she was going out. She doesn’t have to keep Charity informed of her whereabouts at all times after all, it’s not like they’re a couple. She glances over her non-girlfriends form again, there is no denying that Vanessa looks good. 

Charity can’t help herself. “Oi. Get your coat. You’ve pulled.”

Vanessa is startled by Charity’s voice, but actually this should help with her little mission to make Charity see exactly what she’s missing out on by refusing to acknowledge that they’re in an adult relationship. “Spoken for, sorry. Painting the town rainbow with them. Robert’s getting his mojo back.” 

Charity swallows the panic she feels at the fact that they’re clearly off to a gay bar. Vanessa’s next words do nothing to quell the tide of panic rising in her. “Um, I’m just checking, we are still casual? You still don’t want tying down, right?”

Charity knows why she’s asking, she wants permission to do what she wants, and who she wants while she’s out. The thought horrifies Charity, but she’s the one that’s been so insistent about them being no strings, that she can’t very well say no now. “Yeah. Pretty much.” She’s hardly empathic. 

Vanessa masks her disappointment with a smile. She decides to leave Charity in no doubt as to what she’s implying. “Great. Might get my mojo back too then.” She plasters on her widest smile, before she hears Kerry from inside the taxi.

“Er. Put her down.” She takes that as her signal to leave. Without further word to Charity she jumps up into the taxi.

Charity just watches her go. Knowing that all it would take is one word from her, and she could dispel all of this nausea she’s feeling. But she’s far to stubborn for that, so instead, she mentally berates herself and heads back into the pub. In a worse mood than when she was banished by Chas.

XXXXXXXXXX

Vanessa has actually been having a really good night so far. She’s had a few admiring glances from a couple of women in the club. She’s not really sure how to feel about it. This is her first time in a gay bar since she’s accepted her sexuality. She should be happy really, that she’s clearly attractive to the women in here, but she doesn’t get the same sort of thrill from their looks as she gets when Charity looks at her in the same way. She’s decided to just enjoy her evening with her friends for now. They find themselves perched around a table playing ‘I have never’ with shots.

It’s Kerry’s turn. “Okay, okay. My turn. I have never…” she mulls over her task for what feels like an age, before settling on “…had a quickie in my place of work.”

Vanessa’s mind is immediately taken back to Charity surprising her while she was doing the stock take the other night. She consumes her shot, and the warm feeling that takes over her body isn’t all down to the alcohol.

Bernice is clearly feeling it as she lets out an excited sound. “Wooo.”

Kerry, having clocked the fact that Robert also downed his shot. “That scruffy cabin, you filthy pig.”

Robert smirks. “I’m saying nothing.”

Priya is clearly concerned about the fact that Kerry also drank. “Ah Kerry. Which place of work exactly?”

The Geordie doesn’t hold back. “Both. Bonus.” She quickly downs another shot. Everyone except Priya laughs.

The Factory boss is appalled. “You do know we have a very strict food hygiene protocol?”

Kerry can’t actually believe they’re having this conversation on a night out. Priya needs to lighten up. “Aw, like you and Rakesh never pulled them blinds down. Why did you have to invite the boss lady, man?”

Vanessa points out the obvious. “Well Bernice is also your boss.”

Kerry quickly explains the difference. “Yeah. She’s me fun boss.”

Priya is slightly offended. “Ah, excuse me. I can be fun.”

Bernice decides to leave the children to their argument, and turns to Robert the reason they’re all here after all. “Go on then while you’re still sober enough to see. What d’ya make of the talent in here?”

Robert glances around the room. “Er, yeah. It’s okay I suppose.”

Bernice keen to get him back in the mix, and stop his moping. “Shall we get sharking? I’ll be your wing woman if you want?”

Robert not for the first time this evening can’t think of anything worse. Image him trying to chat some young bloke up with Bernice, pushing 50 backing him up. He is as polite as he can muster. “I think I can manage on my own thanks.”

Bernice lets a bit of frustration boil over. “Well go on then.”

She waits for Robert to do something, anything. She has a glance around the bar and sees a really fit bloke at the bar. She decides that if Robert doesn’t do something soon, she’ll have to step up, and he looks perfect. Robert decides to carry on with the game. “I have never… Had my heart broken.”

Vanessa rolls her eyes; he really has it bad. She notes that everyone at the table drinks, she thinks the question over, and the truth is, she isn’t really sure that she has had her heart broken, not by a relationship any way. But at her age she should have, shouldn’t she? It makes her heart ache that she might be wasting her time with Charity. She needs this to turn into something, otherwise what’s the point. She may as well see what this club has to offer after all.

XXXXXXXXXX

It’s later on in the bar, Vanessa is definitely starting to feel the effects of the alcohol. She’s sitting with Robert, she’s been trying her best to keep his spirits up, but it obvious he’s still absolutely heartbroken over Aaron and his new boyfriend.

Bernice interrupts their conversation when she heads over from the bar with an extremely attractive man.

Bernice addresses her heartbroken friend. “Robert. This is Mike. He’s a chef. He’s got a pug named Gary, he’s into European cinema and hiking in the Dales.”

Vanessa laughs at her friend. “Does he speak?”

Bernice smirks and points at poor Mike. “Does he need to, with a face like this.” 

Mike masks his embarrassment with a laugh “Thanks babe.”

Bernice is clearly quite enamoured with the newcomer. “You’re welcome. Do you know what, you’ve got a really lovely accent.”

Vanessa chuckles again. “Hey, steady on you’ll end up with another husband.”

Bernice decides to give Mike half an explanation for Vanessa’s comment. “The gays sort of flock to me, it’s a long story. Anyway, shall we um… leave them to chat?” she gestures for Vanessa to follow her and leave Robert and Mike to it.

Before Vanessa has a chance to do anything, Robert rises from his seat. Clearly not impressed. “Look, it’s nice to meet you mate. But I, I said I’d help Priya out at the bar with the drinks. Sorry.” 

He walks off immediately, leaving Vanessa, Bernice and Mike in awkward silence.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity has kept herself busy since Vanessa waltzed off into Hotten on her little journey of self-discovery earlier. Helped by Paddy amusing her with his back story. Belle, Lachlan, Uncle Zack and Lisa have all been in helping her keep her mind occupied, and Chas is working too, so it’s been fine so far. She’s hardly let her mind wander to what Vanessa might be getting up to.

Charity’s phone dings and she looks at the message straight away. It’s from Vanessa. She pulls a face at the content, it’s a picture of everyone she saw getting into the taxi earlier. Robert looks like he’d rather be anywhere else. Charity scoffs as she starts to read aloud the accompanying words. “Hash tag squad goals, hash tag living my best life, hash tag what happens in da club, stays in da club.”

Chas had been meandering nearby hears Charity’s mumblings. It’s clearly in relation to Vanessa, like her cousin talks about anything else at the moment. “Urgh. Where’s she gone? School disco?”

Charity absentmindedly confirms her location. “Gay bar.”

Aw so that’s what’s got Charity worried. “Oh.”

Charity shrugs, trying to keep up the façade that it’s no big deal. “No skin off my nose.”

Chas can tell that it is in fact a lot of skin off Charity’s nose, but it’s also knows that it’s her cousins’ own fault. She lets Charity know in no uncertain terms that she’s not buying this aloof act. “Um. Hashtag, whatever you say.” 

Chas sniffs and leaves Charity too it. Charity just scowls, she doesn’t need any ‘I told you so’s’ right now thank you very much.

XXXXXXXXX

After sending Charity what was probably an ill-advised selfie, to which the bar maid simply replied, ‘looks like you’re having a good time babe.’ Vanessa finds herself chatting with Robert once again.

She’s trying her best to cajole him out of his Aaron induced depression. “Didn’t you tell me to experiment and meet new people a while back?”

Robert agrees. “Yeah.”

She tries to prompt him. “So?”

He doesn’t appear very receptive, he just shrugs. “So, I’m really not an expert an any of this.”

Vanessa glances over and sees Mike is still in the vicinity. “Aw at least get his phone number. He’s fit, and he cooks.”

Robert is exasperated now. “Why don’t you have a crack then? He might be bi-sexual?”

Vanessa’s first brief thought, is that she isn’t. Bi-sexual she means. Her second thought is Charity. “Oh no no, I’m off the market. Kind of. Well not, not really but, this is about your rubbish love life not mine. Phone number. Then I’ll let it drop.”

Vanessa ties her self up in knots over her relationship status. Bloody Charity. Robert isn’t impressed but he moves to go and get Mike’s number. The vet is delighted, at least one of them might be making a bit of progress this evening.

XXXXXXXXXX

Victoria had arrived at the club, unfortunately so had Aaron and his new fella Alex. Priya has paid the DJ to play all of Kerry’s requests. Robert has successfully got Mikes number but Vanessa can tell his heart still isn’t really in it. In an attempt to put some distance between Robert and Aaron they have all headed out onto the dance floor.

Vanessa is still feeling more than a bit tipsy. But she’s enjoying herself dancing like a fool with Kerry and Bernice, a few more selfies have been added to the collection. 

She’s noticed a pretty brunette on the edges of the dance floor with her friends, who keeps looking over and giving her a shy smile whenever their eyes meet. She doesn’t necessarily smile back, she’s tried but it fills her with a sense of guilt. She briefly wonders if it will always be like this, Charity dangling her just enough so that they aren’t a couple, but so that Vanessa won’t seek anyone else out either.

It seems like the brunette is about to make her move, as she places her empty glass on the table and moves towards Vanessa. The vet feels sick, she’s never really been hit on by a woman before, well other than Charity. She absolutely isn’t going to do anything with the pretty brunette, she knows that already. Even if Charity can’t be serious about them, she can. But where’s the harm in a little flirtation? If she can actually muster it of course.

The brunette arrives smiling, her gaze drops to Vanessa’s hand, where she’s still clutching her phone from taking the earlier selfies.

The stranger starts to speak. “You expecting a call.” Her eyes are dancing with mischief.

It takes a second for Vanessa to catch onto what she’s saying, its only when she glances down and actually sees her phone that she cottons on. “Oh, no. I was just taking a selfie with my friends, and hadn’t gotten around to putting it away.”

The stranger smiles confidently. “Come on then.”

“Hey?” Vanessa doesn’t hide her confusion, causing the clearly younger woman to chuckle.

She gestures back to the phone. “A selfie.”

The vet catches on and nods. She brings the phone up and the woman smoothly runs her arm around Vanessa’s shoulder as they both smile for the photo.

Once the selfie is captured, the woman releases Vanessa from her hold. “Can I buy you a drink…” she pauses and looks at the stunning blonde expectantly. 

She gestures as if Vanessa should know what she’s waiting for. She laughs again. “This is the part where you tell me your name.”

Vanessa is embarrassed she can feel her cheeks starting to burn. She confirms her name, in an attempt not to embarrass herself any further if nothing else. “Vanessa.”

“You don’t do this, much do you?” she’s still flushed with embarrassment so she just shakes her head, no. “I’m Lucy by the way.”

Vanessa just nods, she can’t remember why she thought this was a good idea now. It just doesn’t feel right. Lucy it seems isn’t quite ready to give up yet. “So, can I get you that drink then?”

Vanessa hesitates, she actually feels like she’s doing something wrong. Lucy appears to get the hint this time. “Unless one of these lot is your other half?”

Vanessa glances over at Bernice, Kerry, Priya and Vic, and laughs out loud at the thought of being romantically involved with any of them. She shakes her head. “Nope, none of them.”

“But there is someone?” Lucy probes.

Vanessa half nods. “It’s complicated.”

Lucy continues to flirt. “She must be mad letting you come here with a relationship status of it’s complicated. You’re bound to get snapped up by someone willing to commit more than that.”

Lucy has just hit two nerves with Vanessa. Firstly, the insinuation that she’s been ‘let’ anywhere, and secondly, her very correct observation that Charity isn’t willing to commit. Both sting, but give Vanessa the confidence to turn down the offer.

“I’ll pass on the drink thanks.”

Lucy eyes her curiously, but doesn’t push. “Well if you change your mind, ill be over there.” She watches as Lucy meanders back over to her friends. 

Vanessa turns around and is met by the smirking faces of her own friends. Bernice speaks. “Oh, who was that? She seems nice?”

Vanessa smiles. “Aw no one.”

Bernice raises her eyebrows. “Do I need to have the same sort of chat with you that I had with Robert?”

Vanessa rolls her eyes. “No Bernice you don’t. Because I’m only interested in one person.” And in that moment, in her drunken stupor, she resolves to try and get what she really wants. She swipes her screen and sends Charity the selfie of her and Lucy with a few rushed hashtags. If that doesn’t get a reaction. Nothing will, and she’ll know that this thing with Charity really needs to end. As much as she doesn’t want it to. At least she’ll know either way.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity is pulling a pint when her phone beeps again. It’s just her bad luck that Chas appears from the back room, brew in hand as it does. She can’t get the pint poured fast enough, and Chas taking far too much glee at the fact that Vanessa is at a gay bar runs over and looks at the message before she has a chance to. 

Chas, knows that her cousin is not going to like the content of this latest message. “Uh. Ooooooh. She’s made a new friend…”

Charity feels the panic building up in her, she rushes over to have a look for herself.

Chas continues to assess the image “… and she’s not bad…” her words die in her throat as Charity snatches the phone out of her hand.

“What are you talking about. Shut up. Let me see.” Charity takes in the images and her heart drops to somewhere close to her toes.

Chas continues to comment. “Vanessa’s definitely worse for wear though, cos I can’t even understand the hash tags this time.”

Charity ignores her cousin. “Babe, seen as though we’re quiet, and Moses is with Sammy. I might just….”

Chas is not letting Charity get away with this. “Just stay for a whole shift for once?”

Charity sighs, she’s basically pleading now. “Babe. Please.”

Chas has absolutely no sympathy for her. “Serves you right for playing it so cool.” She then meanders out of the bar and back into the living quarters, making it clear that she expects Charity to stay exactly where she is.

Charity can’t really blame her, after all she’s completely right. This is all her fault. She knows this thing with Vanessa is more than just a bit of fun, and she knows that she’s going to have to confirm that fact soon. Soon, it seems is right now, because the thought of Vanessa going home with that random, hell, even the though of her kissing her in the club makes Charity sick to her stomach.

She spots Belle and Lachlan still sitting at the bar, still down in the dumps about Chas’ earlier refusal to let them use the pub kitchen for their brewing business. She has an idea and instantly heads towards them.

“Hey kids, I reckon this new hipster beer thing is gunna take off.”

Lachlan in his usual over confident manner responds. “Well obviously, it’s a great idea.”

Charity just nods forgoing her usual barb at his arrogance because right now she’s desperate, and all she wants is to get in a taxi to Hotten. “Uh-uh. So, I’ve had a word with Chas, and if one of you covers my shift now, the kitchen’s all yours. Yeah. Don’t forget about us when you make your first million.”

She leaves them to it, and quickly heads to get changed. She drops Vanessa a text. ‘who’s your friend? Looks cosy.’

Vanessa drunkenly responds. ‘her names Lucy, I think. She’s gone to get the shots in.’ That last part is a lie, but she’s interested to see just what Charity will do.

Charity swallows the fear she feels. ‘where are you babe?’

She calms a little when Vanessa responds with the name of the club, and an invitation to join. Clearly this Lucy can’t be doing a very good job of trying to seduce her woman.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity arrives at the club, and gets herself a drink to calm her nerves. She spots their Aaron scoping out the dance floor. When she arrives next to him, she can see it’s the group of Emmerdalians that have caught his attention. She assumes he’s pining over Robert, only she can’t understand why.

She spots Vanessa immediately, and thankfully, that sleaze Lucy appears to have done one. She chuckles at Vanessa’s dancing. It’s awful. “Wow. Could have saved myself a trip.”

Aaron is slightly taken aback by the unexpected arrival of his family member. “What?”

Charity explains further. “Well I thought she was gunna pull. A muscle yeah, but an actually person with those dance moves. No chance.”

Vanessa can feel eyes on her, she turns as she dancing and is delighted to see Charity. She points, excitedly. “She came. Arrrggghhh.” 

Vanessa dances over, and Charity has to try and conceal a smile at just how happy Vanessa is to see her. “look who’s here.”

Charity, as always tries to play it cool. But there’s no denying the relief she’s feeling right now. “Yes, because your texts stop making sense and I thought you might actually get murdered.”

Vanessa looks at Aaron who doesn’t seem at all interested in what either of them are going on about. “Aw, she cares if I die or not.”

Charity smirks again. “Hey babe. Let’s not run away with ourselves yeah.”

Vanessa pulls her over to an empty table. It’s barely needed but she politely moves them both away from Aaron. “Excuse us.”

Charity is fully calmed now that Vanessa is back in her sight, and there’s no other women pawing her, and the vet is apparently very pleased to see her. So, she decides she can go back to aloof indifference. “Remember that little chat we had about lowering your expectations.”

Vanessa just nods. “Um uh.”

“It still applies yeah.”

Vanessa smiles. Charity isn’t fooling her anymore. This reminds of her of when the land lady chased her down the street, only this time she’s chased her into Hotten. “You came to find me though. And you care.”

Charity tries to protest but the vet shushes her before she has a chance. “Don’t ruin it.” 

Vanessa pulls her closer for a kiss which she is more than happy to oblige, and for the first time in hours, Charity feels like she can breathe again.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity had actually ended up having a really good night with Vanessa and the rest of the gang from the village. She spent the majority of her night at the safety of Vanessa’s side, she’s more than aware what most of the other village patrons think of her. She doesn’t miss the questioning glances Vanessa gets from Bernice mainly, but the vet doesn’t even flinch, just smiles widely and genuinely. It blows Charity’s mind that this incredible woman wants her, in spite of all she’s done, in spite of what everyone else thinks of her.

They’ve been sat having a dance and a drink, and the occasional snog at a table by the dance floor when Priya and Kerry somehow manage to get them all kicked out of the club. A quick decision is made for everyone to head back to the Woolpack. Charity grabs Vanessa’s hand and they both head for the taxi queue.

Vanessa panics a bit when she sees Lucy, and prays she doesn’t cause a scene with Charity. However, the brunette just smiles and raises her glass in a cheers motion. Vanessa just smiles and nods her head, before trying to shove Charity towards the exit.

The interaction doesn’t go unnoticed by Charity, and that was clearly the woman from the selfie. She has that awful feeling in the pit of her stomach again. What if something happened before she arrived. She swallows hard, but lets herself be steered towards the exit. She doesn’t think it’s really Vanessa’s style. She knows that if the vet feels even 10% of what she does she would never do anything with anyone else. But she can’t shake the worry.

XXXXXXXXXX

The party had continued in the taxi. The driver was much more receptive to the requests for awful songs than the DJ was back at the bar. Charity assumes he’s hoping for a large tip. Anyway, it leads to a god-awful rendition of jump, by Kris Kross which continues into the pub. 

Chas is furious with her cousin, and she has no problem letting the group know, she joins in with the song. “Ah ah ah, make you pay for going AWOL with a world of pain.”

Kerry chuckles in her drunken state. “That’s a rubbish re-mix.”

Chas’ attention is now firmly back on Charity. “…and we are not hosting their micro brewery.”

Charity still flush with happiness and relief. “Oh, I am back in the building, will you relax. Babe you need to get out more, come on. Age is but a number, even if it’s a big one.”

Chas is really is happy that Charity has been and rescued Vanessa, she really is. She wants nothing more than for her cousin to be happy. Finally. She just wishes she would go about it in a bit of a better way. She decides it isn’t worth the argument right now, so she just turns away unimpressed.

Kerry clearly has no tact or no ability to read the room at all, as Chas turns, she just barks out her order. “Shot’s please.” With a beaming smile on her face.

XXXXXXXXXX

Charity has been surprised by two things so far tonight at the pub, firstly that all of the people who went to the club, stayed drinking in the Woolpack, and continued to include her (apart from Robert of course who had disappeared before they left). That’s the power of Vanessa she supposes. 

Secondly that Chas has let her stay on this side of the bar, with Vanessa enjoying her evening. She was almost certain that she’d be hauled back behind the bar to finish her shift. As it is, she’s had a pleasant time with her lover and her lover’s friends. She feels lighter, knowing that this thing with Vanessa is something, that it’s going somewhere, she doesn’t care what people think. So, she’s not held back, her lips have sought out Vanessa’s, and her cheek for that matter, and the stunning blond has been more than accommodating. She’s never acted like she might be embarrassed, or ashamed of her.

Its late now, last orders has been called, and the pub has mostly emptied out. Charity braces herself from her position next to Vanessa at the bar, as she sees Chas and Paddy heading towards her. She assumes her cousin’s foul mood is going to continue. “Night party animals. Us old folk are turning in.”

That was unexpected. “Well you’ve changed your tune.”

Chas smiles and decides to let Charity in on just what’s making her so happy. “Yeah, well the thought of you minding this place for a month can do that.”

Charity doesn’t conceal her shock. “A month?”

Chas doesn’t speak, just enjoys the smugness that’s washing over her. Paddy attempts to drop a clue. “Viva Me-ico.”

Charity watches them walk off, still wondering what on earth they’re both going on about, when Vanessa’s voice pulls her from her thoughts. “Right, I might follow their lead.”

Charity’s heart drops again, Vanessa leaving is not part of her plans for tonight. She tries to be as casual as possible when she speaks, but she can hear the nerves infiltrating her voice with her own ears, so god knows what Vanessa thinks. “Well stop here if you want. I mean Rhona’s got Johnny ‘ant she?”

Vanessa, although delighted that Charity came to Hotten to make sure she wasn’t pulling anyone else, is still feeling downcast that they haven’t really had a chance to talk, and as such haven’t really made any progress whatsoever. “You’re okay. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

Charity scoffs. She needs a minute before she can tell Vanessa exactly what she wants to hear. “Thought you were cool with the lack of strings?”

Vanessa counters. “Thought you were?”

Charity is still playing the game. “I am.”

Vanessa asks the million-dollar question. “Well why come running then?”

Charity knows she can’t hold back any longer, she has to be brave. “Because you invited me you drunkard.”

Here goes nothing. “Anyway, what if I said I wouldn’t mind the odd string? What if I said them texts and pictures made feel a bit sick and panicky and…” a large sigh, “uncharacteristically jealous?” Charity lets her head flop following her admission. 

Vanessa eyes her curiously. She knows how unbelievably stubborn Charity is, and how much it would have killed her to say all that out loud. She’s impressed by how brave she’s been, and she decides to be equally brave. “I’d say, what have you done with my girlfriend?”

She braces herself; she knows her lover still has the innate ability to be cruel when she wants to be. Charity just exclaims, but the smile never leaves her face. “Girlfriend?”

Vanessa is delighted at the smile; Charity’s face didn’t drop at the suggestion, that’s progress right? However the vet can’t help but give her an out. “Oh, go on. Head for the hills.”

Charity adores her for it, but she shakes her head, no. “I’m going nowhere.” Vanessa’s heart literally bursts. Charity Dingle is her girlfriend. She can’t quite believe it. She doesn’t get the chance to dwell before her girlfriend is gesturing for her to move closer. “Neither are you. Come here.” 

Vanessa is more than happy to meet her girlfriend’s lips. Charity feels the smile on Vanessa mouth as they kiss, and she feels her own eyes roll. Trust her to fall for a right soppy cow. The truth is though, that she’s unbelievably happy herself. 

She pulls back and can’t help but chuckle a little at the beaming smile on Vanessa’s face. “Come on then you, lets get you to bed so we can celebrate this momentous milestone.”

Vanessa’s smile grows impossibly wider, and she jumps down off the stool, as she does, she notices an obstacle in their mission towards the bedroom.

“Er. What are we going to do about her?” She nods towards Priya.

Charity sighs as she takes in the sight of the sleeping woman. “Urgh. Just wake her up and send her on her way.”

Vanessa is appalled. “Charity, it’s the middle of the night and she’s smashed, you can’t just send her out into the darkness.”

The land lady exhales. Annoyed. “She’s a grown woman, and it’s not like she lives miles away.” Vanessa just crosses her arms and remains stoic. Charity relents, not because she’s going soft, but because she wants to do whatever will get Vanessa up into her bed the quickest.

“Fine, move her onto the couch in the back room.”

Vanessa smiles, but just as she’s about to wake her friend, a head pops into the pub. It’s Jai. He sighs when he spots his sister collapsed on the bench. He moves further into the pub, acknowledging his ex wife and Vanessa.

“She messaged me about 20 minutes ago, and none of it made a great deal of sense, so I thought I better come and make sure she was alright.”

Charity is more than a little relieved. “Nice one Jai. Now hurry up, so I can get locked up.”

Jai shakes his head, but wakes Priya, and slings he arm around her to manoeuvre her out of the pub in no time. “Always a pleasure ladies.”

Charity, finally delighted that the pub has emptied and she can get her evening back on track. “Right you, bed.”

She practically chases Vanessa up the stairs. They both struggle to keep their giggles in as they make it to Charity’s bedroom, they’ve pissed Chas off enough this evening, without waking her, or worse interrupting her and Paddy. The thought sends a shudder down the taller blonde’s spine.

Vanessa wastes no time in diving on Charity as soon as the older woman’s bedroom door is closed. Charity has no problems returning the kiss, and as Vanessa starts pulling her clothes off, she doesn’t resist. However, she has a thought niggling away in her brain. She needs to know, otherwise it will just torment her.

Charity pulls back slightly, Vanessa looks adorably confused and fuckably aroused, to the point that Charity actually wonders what she’s doing, why is she delaying this? She realises that she hasn’t spoken for an abnormal amount of time now since pulling away from the kiss.

Vanessa tries to prompt her. “What is it? What’s up?”

Charity swallows, she can already feel the embarrassment blooming in her chest. “It’s just, that woman earlier from the club?”

Vanessa scrunches her forehead in confusion, she can barely remember the woman from the club. When she offers no verbal response, Charity continues. “You didn’t…”

Vanessa knows what she’s asking instantly. She actually laughs out loud, that’s what the thought of doing anything with anything else does to her. It seems ridiculous. Charity isn’t impressed by the laughter and her facial expression conveys as much causing Vanessa to purse her lips. “Of course, I didn’t.”

Charity calms a little. “Not even, like, a kiss or anything.”

Vanessa isn’t sure if she should be offended or not. She slaps Charity’s arm gently. “Charity, what do you think I am. Of course, I didn’t kiss her, I could barely talk to her without feeling guilty.” She shakes her head, trying to shake the annoyance out, they are supposed to be celebrating after all. “You’re the only person, I’ve kissed, slept with, flirted with, since this thing started.”

Charity smirks at the confirmation. But she has an overwhelming urge to let Vanessa know that it’s the same for her. “Me too. I mean there hasn’t been anyone else since we started this again properly, you know?”

Vanessa smiles and nods. “I do know that.” Despite Charity’s reluctance to label this, Vanessa has always known that, its obvious. Obvious that Charity has always known that this was something more, she was just too scared to admit it.

Charity smiles again. “So, you were just trying to make me jealous earlier then?”

Vanessa smirks. “I wasn’t trying to make you jealous Charity. I just wanted you to really think about what ‘no strings’ means. To make sure you were really happy about the possibility of me sleeping with someone else.”

Charity can feel the anger building in her at the thought. She pulls Vanessa closer, and starts to pepper kisses on her neck, before she sinks her teeth in and starts to suck on the skin. Vanessa knows there will be a mark there tomorrow and it thrills her. Charity is marking her territory. Charity pulls back slightly. “Well whatever it was it worked.”

Vanessa pulls her into a searing kiss, it pulls the air out of Charity’s lungs. She has never wanted anyone as much as she wants this woman. This time Vanessa pulls back to speak. “Of course it did. You don’t want me to have anyone else, I knew that.”

Another kiss. “But I also know that you don’t want anyone else either.”

Charity exhales and feels the last of the tension leaving her body. This woman is really something else. She can’t help but smile. “Right then girlfriend, lets get this show on the road.”

Vanessa doesn’t need telling twice, she pulls Charity over to the bed, time to show her girlfriend, just how much this means to her.

XXXXXXXXXX

Vanessa’s alarm is loud and annoying. She reaches out from her cosy cocoon to smack her phone and rid the room of that awful noise. She feels Charity’s arms tighten around waist and pull her back in. She doesn’t have work today, she just has to pick Johnny up from Rhona, her best friend wont mind if she’s a bit late. So, she snuggles back down into her girlfriends embrace. Her girlfriend, the thought still makes her giddy.

She turns in Charity’s arms just as Charity’s eyes start to flutter open. Vanessa leans up and meets her lips, it must surprise her lover because it takes half a second for her to reciprocate. But she does, she smiles into the kiss once shes woken up enough to embrace it. They are interrupted by the second alarm of the morning, this time it’s Charity’s.

The Land Lady flops back onto her pillow breaking the kiss, and swipes the alarm off. She sighs. Vanessa is slightly surprised, it’s not like Charity usually has any issues delaying her responsibilities. She quirks an eyebrow at her lover. Charity provides the explanation she’s clearly craving. “It’s Chas’ birthday babe. Which means I’m in charge of opening.”

Vanessa smirks. “You’ve changed.”

Charity scoffs. “Yeah and who’s fault’s that hey?”

Vanessa’s plays dumb. “I dunno who you could possibly be referring to?”

Charity laughs pulling herself back up so she can drop a kiss onto waiting lips. “I’ve got this girlfriend you see…” Vanessa’s heart bursts again. Another kiss. “…Right bossy little madam she is…” Vanessa rolls her eyes. Another kiss. “…and intrinsically good. Must be rubbing off on me.”

“I know something else I’d rather be rubbing off on.”

Charity’s jaw drops. She’s surprised and impressed in equal measure. “Vanessa!”

The vet just laughs. “I think my girlfriend must be ‘rubbing off’ on me too.”

Charity smirks. “Hmmmm, chance would be a fine thing. Come on. Up.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Vanessa has been walking on air since she left the pub. She lets herself into Rhona’s kitchen, the smile still beaming all over her face.

Rhona looks her best friend up and down curiously. “Well, you look very pleased with yourself. Good night?”

“Exceptionally.”

Rhona squints and she focusses in on her best friends’ neck. Vanessa has a horrid realisation, she knows exactly what Rhona is looking at, and she flushes a little as remembers how it got there.

Rhona’s confused face morphs into a smirk as she realises that it is definitely love bite that she can see on Vanessa’s neck. “Wow, you really did have a good night.”

Rhona flicks the kettle on and gestures for Vanessa to take a seat at the kitchen table. “I assume the gay bars in Hotten do have a fine selection of age appropriate lesbians then?”

For the first time today, Vanessa’s smile falters a little. Of course, Rhona assumes she pulled in the bar last night. She worries about her best friends’ reaction to the news that her and Charity are official now.

The silence spurs Rhona on. “I must admit Ness, I’m glad you’re seeing what the world has to offer, and that there’s more to life than Charity Dingle.”

“Uh, yeah. About that.”

Rhona places the mugs of tea, and waits for her friend to elaborate, she can’t deny, she is slightly confused.

Vanessa swallows. “Thing is, Charity ended up coming to the club.”

“What. Why?”

Vanessa grimaces. “I might have let her think that there was a chance I might get with someone else.”

“And she actually came running?” Rhona is impressed.

Vanessa nods, and her smile returns. “She did. And we er, kinda made things official too.”

“You and Charity?”

“Me and my girlfriend Charity, yeah.” Her smile blooms impossibly larger, and Rhona can’t help but mirror it.

“It suits you Ness.”

Now, it’s Vanessa’s turn to be confused. “What, that’s it? No, ‘you’re make a huge mistake’. She’s trouble’. Etcetera.”

Rhona giggles. “It’s obvious she makes you incredibly happy Ness. Nothing else matters.”

For about the hundredth time in the last 24 hours, Vanessa feels the emotion bursting inside of her. Finally, her best friend can see it, what she’s known for a long time. She’s delighted that Rhona is apparently finally on board. She swallows it down and pulls her brew towards her face, hoping to mask just how much emotion she feels, and just how much it means to her that her friends are finally accepting her and Charity. She just hopes her family will react in a similar manner.

XXXXXXXXXX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next some random fluff, leading into the Ketamine storyline.
> 
> Let me know what you think.
> 
> Twitter:- Eden_Ashley_Chr

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think.
> 
> Catch me on twitter at Eden_Ashley_Chr


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